NEW YORK: Kim Clijsters posted a triumphant return to the US Open on Monday, four years after being crowned queen of New York.

The 26-year-old former world number one, who only returned to competitive tennis at the start of the month after more than two years of retirement, hammered Ukraine's Viktoriya Kutuzova 6-1, 6-1 in just 58 minutes.

It was another clear demonstration that she has lost little of the power and talent that took her to the top of the world rankings and her unseeded category will make her a dangerous floater in the bottom half of the draw.

Clijsters was given the honour of playing the opening match on the Arthur Ashe Stadium central court, her first appearance at Flushing Meadows since she defeated Mary Pierce in straight sets in the 2005 final.

She was unable to defend her title the following year due to injury and then retired from the game in May, 2007, to marry and have a baby, only returning to action earlier this month.

The Belgian got off to a storming start by winning the first seven points against her 21-year-old opponent.

That set the tone and she totally dominated the east European who once was touted as a potential top tenner.

Clijsters, who hit 17 winners and was 70 percent on her first serve, won the last eight points of the match against a demoralised opponent to smoothly move into the second round.

"It was nice to come out here on centre court and open the tournament, as I didn't get to do so as defending champion a few years ago," said Clijsters.

"I'm glad I won in two sets without wasting too much energy. I had a few butterflies, more than I normally do."

The win was the sixth for Clijsters against two losses since she launched her comeback and moved her forward to a potential second round clash against French 14th seed Marion Bartoli, whom she beat in straight sets in her first match back in Cincinnati.

Also through early on the first day was Belarussian eighth seed Victoria Azarenka, who defeated Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania by an identical 6-1, 6-1 score, and Polish 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who ousted Patria Mayr of Austria 6-1- 6-2.

It was a far tougher opener for Australia's 15th seed Samantha Stosur, who was taken all the way by 34-year-old Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama before winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

The French Open semi-finalist started slowly in the first two sets, hitting back to win the first but dropping the second against an opponent who was playing in her 16th consecutive US Open draw.

Stosur regained control of the match early in the third set, breaking Sugiyama's serve in the fourth game with a backhand drive down the line after drawing her opponent wide on the other side of the court.

But it was Sugiyama's turn to hit back and level at 3-3.

Games went with serve after that until the 10th game when an under-pressure Sugiyama hit a backhand long on the third match point for the Australian.

It was a welcome win from Stosur, whose improved play has seen her reach a career best 15th in the world rankings, as she had failed to ger past the first round in New York for the last four years.

She will next play US youngster Vania King, who was 2-1 up in the opening set against Anastasiya Yakimova when the Belarussian retired.

Playing later on the opening day were the Williams sisters with defending champion Serena going up against fellow American Alexa Glatch while older sister Venus takes on Russia's Vera Dushevina in the first match of the night session.