MELBOURNE: Seven-times Australian Open champion Serena Williams looked in ominous form as she opened her 19th campaign at Melbourne Park with a 6-0 6-3 trouncing of Anastasia Potapova on Monday.

American Williams, 38, arrived at the year's first Grand Slam having won her first WTA title in three years and made short work of the out-gunned Russian teenager on Rod Laver Arena.

A clean crosscourt winner gave the eighth seed the first set in under 20 minutes and although former Wimbledon junior champion Potapova made her fight harder in the second the match was wrapped up inside an hour.

Williams will play Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek or South Korean wildcard Han Na-lae in the second round as she continues her quest to match Margaret Court's record career tally of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.