Serena Williams of the US plays a backhand return during her women’s singles match against Italy’s Camila Giorgi on day one of the 2016 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Monday. AFP PHOTO
MELBOURNE: Serena Williams returned to Grand Slam tennis with a bang on Monday as the start of the Australian Open was overshadowed by allegations of widespread Williams, playing her first competitive match since the US Open in September, cast off any doubts about her injured left knee with a hard-fought but convincing 6-4, 7-5 win over Italy’s Camila Giorgi.