New mum Serena back in Grand Slam groove to set up Barty blockbuster

Even the Parisian storm-clouds cleared for Serena Williams as the new mother's baby steps back to Grand Slam tennis became a stride into the second round of the French Open to set up a blockbuster against Aussie Ashleigh Barty.

Serena Williams celebrates her first round win Source: AAP

Krystina Pliskova, who shared the Wimbledon winners' stage with Serena back in 2010 - the Czech was junior champion as Serena won the real thing that year, played her part across the net on centre court, but there was only one star.

Dressed in a skintight, all-in-one black bodysuit, broken up by a vivid scarlet belt, Serena captivated the French crowd from the start of the contest to its 7-6(4) 6-4 conclusion.

"Two years has been a really long time," Williams told the crowd in French, referring to her last match on clay.

"I am just so happy to have won a match here... thank you all."

The last time Williams had appeared in a Grand Slam tournament was at the Australian Open in 2017, when she won it while pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia.

The 36-year-old superstar was controversially overlooked for a seeding in Paris and has slipped to No.453 in the world.

Next up for Williams is a clash against Australian 17th seed Barty.

Australia's no.1 ranked woman produced a thumping 6-3 6-1 victory over Russian Natalia Vikhlyantseva.

Showing no signs of the back problem that had her in doubt for the clay-court grand slam, Barty blasted past the world No.81 in just 64 minutes.