Serena Williams breezes past Camila Giorgi in Australian Open first round

Serena Williams has comfortably moved into the second round of the Australian Open with a 6-4 7-5 victory over Camila Giorgi in Melbourne.

The defending champion did not show any ill effects of her four-month break as she swiftly went a double break up in the first set to take a 4-1 lead.

Giorgi managed to show some fightback when she broke, but it was not enough as Williams eased through the set.

The American world number one almost immediately snatched serve in the second set, but Giorgi was able to save four break points.

Games went by the way of serve until Williams broke to secure her place in the next phase of the Grand Slam.