This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Serena Williams took just 65 minutes to beat Daria Gavrilova in the first round of the Cincinnati Open as she displayed ominous form just a fortnight out from the US Open, breaking the Australian’s serve twice in each set in the 6-1, 6-2 thumping.

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The 23-time grand slam winner hit 27 winners to steamroll the world No 23 Gavrilova and bounce back from the most lopsided loss of her career two weeks ago – 6-1, 6-0 to Johanna Konta in San Jose – to set up a meeting with Czech eighth seed Petra Kvitova in the second round.

Williams, who made the Wimbledon final last month but withdrew from last week’s Rogers Cup in Montreal for personal reasons, cracked eight aces and was never broken as she dispatched the 24-year-old Australian.

“I realised after Wimbledon that this is a journey for me,” the 36-year-old Williams said. “It’s going to come and I’m taking it one day at a time. I’m just fortunate to be back here on these courts playing tennis. Everything is truly amazing.”

Next up for the 23-times grand slam champion is a second-round clash with two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, who had a first round bye.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus came from behind to defeat Konta 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in their first round tussle. Konta had 10 double faults and was broken four times by the 20-year-old, who will next face big-serving ninth seed Karolina Pliskova.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Johanna Konta’s struggled with her serve against Aryna Sabalenka in the first round. Photograph: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ajla Tomljanovic toughed out a three-set two-hour battle with Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu to advance to the round of 32. The Australian qualifier won the important points when they mattered to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory.

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World No 58 Tomljanovic will meet another Romanian in the next round in top ranked Simona Halep, fresh off her title win at the Canadian Open. Australian 16th seed Ashleigh Barty is scheduled to open her campaign against Czech wild card Marketa Vondrousova on Tuesday.

Wild card Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, came from behind to beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-4. Madison Keys, the 13th seed, held off the challenge of fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

Tenth-seeded German Julia Goerges was trailing Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 3-2 when she retired because of a lower left-leg injury.



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Also through to the second round on Monday were wild card card Svetlana Kuznetsova, Aryna Sabalenka, Anett Kontaveit, Lesia Tsurenko and qualifier Viktoria Kuzmova. Venus Williams withdrew from the event due to a right knee problem.