ESPN Tennis

Australian Open Rd 1 Highlights

Australian Open Rd 1 HighlightsTags: Tennis

Learn More » Report a bug » Feedback »

Australian Open Rd 1 Highlights

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Women's champion Amelie Mauresmo was first up on Rod Laver Arena and started her Australian Open title defense with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Shenay Perry.

Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesAmelie Mauresmo's quest to defend her Australian Open title began with a victory over Shenay Perry on Monday.

Apart from dropping serve in the third game and again when serving for the match at 5-2, the second-seeded Mauresmo was in control as she returned to the scene of her biggest breakthrough victory.

"It was some good moments and some moments especially at the end to finish off the match where my mind went out a little bit," Mauresmo said. "I thought I lost some intensity in the end. I probably should have closed it out a little bit quicker, but that's the way it is."

Serena Williams, seeking her eighth Grand Slam title but unseeded after a rash of injuries, started slow, too, but picked up her game to oust 27th-seeded Mara Santangelo 6-2, 6-1 in an error-plagued night match. Santangelo had only six winners to 23 unforced errors, while Williams ripped 10 aces in an otherwise lackluster service effort.

"I'm feeling pretty good," Williams said. "I came out and finally did what I was supposed to do, to a certain level. I feel I have nothing to lose. There is only one way I can move, and that's up."

Mauresmo beat Justine Henin-Hardenne in the final last year to claim her first Grand Slam title, seven years after losing in her only other trip to the final of a major. Mauresmo also won the Wimbledon title last summer and spent most of the season at No. 1. Mauresmo said she felt under no extra pressure as defending champion.

"It was good. I felt pretty happy to go on the court and to play first and to be able to, right from the first day, go on court and defend a title," Mauresmo said.

Australian Open Scoreboard
Every match, both men's and women's, throughout the Australian Open. Complete Scores

Perry, a 22-year-old American who finished 2006 at No. 43 in the rankings, let Mauresmo off the hook with 21 unforced errors. Serving for the match a second time, Mauresmo held at love, closing with a powerful forehand cross.

Seventh-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia advanced with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Stephanie Foretz of France. French Open semifinalist Nicole Vaidisova, seeded 10th, beat American Jill Craybas 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 and 11th-seeded Jelena Jankovic continued her successful start to the year with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak.

Also advancing were No. 16 Shahar Peer, No. 20 Tatiana Golovin, No. 23 Ai Sugiyama and No. 26 Maria Kirilenko.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.