Serena kickstarts clay-court season with thumping win in Rome

World number one Serena Williams has started her clay-court season in dominant style, beating Anna-Lena Friedsam in straight sets in the second round of the Italian Open in Rome yesterday.

Williams, who missed the Madrid Open last week due to a fever, recorded a 6-4, 6-3 win over the 51st-ranked rival to reach the third round of the women's singles event.

Reflecting on how the match unfolded, the 21-time Grand Slam champion said she was happy with her level and consistency shown in the game, Sport24 reported.

Williams hasn't won a title since a hard-court event in Cincinnati last August. She was the runner-up in this year's Australian Open and Indian Wells Masters.