Imperious Serena Williams cruises past Vania King

Serena Williams has cruised into the third round of the US Open after dropping just one game in beating Vania King this evening.

The defending champion fired an ominous warning to her rivals at Flushing Meadows by downing King 6-1 6-0 in just 57 minutes.

Williams, a five-time winner of the competition, set the tone for her performance early on by inflicting a break of serve en route to an early two-game lead.

King hit back on her own serve to halve the deficit, but it would prove to be the only game she would win throughout the match, before Williams coasted to a first-set advantage.

The world number one maintained that momentum heading into the second set and whitewashed the 25-year-old to move a step closer to retaining her crown.