Serena wastes little time in reaching third round

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Five-times champion Serena Williams played well within herself in stifling conditions on Rod Laver Arena to advance to the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Serbia's Vesna Dolonc on Wednesday.

(Reuters)

The victory was her 60th in the main draw at the Australian Open, which tied her with Margaret Court for the most wins at the tournament in the Open era.

With temperatures surpassing 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) early on Wednesday, the 32-year-old American appeared content to expend as little energy as possible against the 104th-ranked Serb and anchored her play around the middle of the baseline and simply blasted Dolonc off court.

Williams won almost 90 percent of her first serve points and belted Dolonc's serve back past her seemingly at will to clinch victory in 63 minutes and set up a meeting with either Karolina Pliskova or Daniela Hantuchova in the third round.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington)