Second round:
S Williams (US) bt B Rittner (Ger)
6-4 6-0

Fifth seed Serena Williams faced few problems in securing a route to the third round, beating Germany's Barbara Rittner in just 55 minutes.

But it was not one of Serena's better performances and she admitted that she made it harder for herself than it really should have been.

The fact that she was not at her best prompted father Richard to leave halfway through the second set, but his exit did not concern Serena.

"I wasn't playing very well today. It's an early round match and it is now over with."

The American smashed down 11 aces after having lost her opening service game.

"In the first set I was just wanting to come to the net a bit more. I was trying a different game that I have been practising," said Serena.

"If you think you have a good chance against a player it is worth trying something different."

The second set was completely different as the younger Williams sister raced through it 6-0 with a change of tactics.

"I just decided that I'd rather get off sooner than later," she joked. "You can only imagine what I have the potential of doing."

Confident mood

And emulating the success of Venus 12 months ago is certainly at the forefront of Serena's mind.

"If I wasn't here to win I wouldn't be here right now," she said. "My serve is really looking a lot better."

But to do that Serena knows that she is likely to have to first beat her French Open conqueror Jennifer Capriati, a likely quarter-final opponent.

"I'll just have to play better," she admits. "Last time I didn't even perform. I should have been taken off immediately."