Serena Williams has taken 76 minutes to record a 6-3 6-4 win over Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier in front of a sell-out ASB Tennis Arena crowd.
It was a rust-filled match for Williams in her first hit-out since losing the semi-final at the US Open back in September and she didn't get it all her own way with Parmentier more than matching her ground strokes.
The Frenchwoman was able to counter on Williams' short-court balls before the world number two started to find her range midway through the first set, not only hitting the ball deeper but with more precision.
Despite a poor first serve percentage, a rising unforced error count and blustery Auckland conditions, Williams took the first set 6-3.
The second set looked like it was going to be all one way traffic however the world number 69 continued to cause Williams problems with her accuracy and her ability to make Williams play one more shot.
It was only when the tournament's main draw-card made alterations in her backhand technique and minimised the errors that she eventually put Parmentier away.
In the wind you really have to be ready to move your feet, so I went back to what my coach told me, that I know how to play in the wind, I've done it many times," Williams said.
"You always feel rusty going out there in your first match and I definitely felt that rust, but I felt that mentally I knew how to get it back."
Williams will play the winner off the all-American clash between Jamie Loeb and Madison Brengle in the second round.
Newshub.
