By Chris Oddo / Sunday, January 12, 2014

 

Serena Williams began her quest for an 18th major by making short work of 17-year-old Ashleigh Barty.

Photo credit: Corleve

Serena Williams started strong and finished stronger on Monday evening in Melbourne, racing past 17-year-old Aussie Ashleigh Barty, 6-2, 6-1, to set up a second-round clash with Vesna Dolonc of Serbia.

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The victory moves Williams within one match of Margaret Court for the Australian Open's all-time win record. Court held a career record of 60-3 at the Australian Open with 11 titles. Williams advanced to 59-8 with her clinical defeat of Barty.

The 32-year-old American is bidding to win her 18th Grand Slam title at this year's Australian Open, which would tie her with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on the all-time list.

After Barty held serve to start the match, Williams would slowly begin to take control, breaking for 2-1, and then again for 5-2 before serving out the set.

Barty did a nice job of keeping Williams off balance with her first serve in the early going, winning 9 of 13 such points in the first set, but by the beginning of the second set, Willliams was dialed in on every level.

Williams jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second set, and after Barty managed a hold to get to 4-1, she reeled off the final two games to clinch the victory on her second match point in 57 minutes.

Williams won all 20 of her first-serve point in the match, while striking 31 winners against barty's five.