History-chasing Serena Williams has launched her 2021 tennis season with a trouble-free straight-sets win over Australian Daria Gavrilova at the Yarra Valley Classic in Melbourne.

Playing her first match in more than four months, Williams hit the ground running in a 6-1 6-4 second-round victory at the Australian Open warm-up event on Monday.

Hoping to match Margaret Court’s record 24 grand slam singles titles at this month’s rescheduled Open, the 39-year-old American next plays Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironokova for a quarter-final spot.