Stuttgart - Serena Williams returned to the Porsche tennis Grand Prix for the first time in eight years on Tuesday with a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Czech lucky loser Zuzana Ondraskova. Williams took just 47 minutes to overwhelm the 140th-ranked Ondraskova, who replaced injured Russian Elena Bovina on short notice.
"I think I played really well. Most of all I am excited to be back," said the former world number one Williams, who is known for her fashion sported a pink babydoll-like dress.
The sixth-seeded Williams had played just twice before at the tournament formerly held in Filderstadt, losing in 1998 and 1999 to French player Sandrine Testud.
Her only appearances on the European indoor circuit in autumn since 1999 were a 2002 title in Leipzig, Germany, and a first-round defeat in 2004 in Linz, Austria.
Williams won the Australian Open in January for her eighth Grand Slam title, but was beaten by world number one Justine Henin at the other three majors.
Tuesday's match could give no indication of her current form as Ondraskova was too weak. As the world number seven player, Williams is among several players chasing a berth at the season-ending Masters in Madrid bringing together the eight best players of the year.
Earlier, defending champion Nadia Petrova rallied to beat local wildcard entry Tatjana Malek 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 in 1 hour 33 minutes.
"I haven't played a lot in the past four weeks. In the beginning I didn't know how to play the points," said Petrova.
There was more joy for Russia when Elena Dementieva got her fifth win in the 13th meeting with former world number one Amelie Mauresmo of France, 6-2, 7-5.
Mauresmo dropped serve in the 11th game of the second set as her poor and injury-plagued year saw another setback. The French player has dropped to a current number 12 in the rankings.
Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli of France was not as lucky, losing 0-6, 6-2, 6-1 against Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska on her 23rd birthday in 2:01 hours.
"I woke up after the first set. I knew I had to change something," said the 36th-ranked Radwanska.
Radwanska famously beat then holder Maria Sharapova at the US Open and later last month won her first career title in Stockholm. Her next opponent is world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.
In another match, Israel's Shahar Peer beat Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) to set up a meeting with number three seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia.
The top four seeds - the others being world number one Justine Henin of Belgium and Anna Chakvetadze of Russia - have a first-round bye.
