80th Wimbledon win for Serena

LONDON: World number one and defending champion Serena Williams racked up her 80th Wimbledon victory Tuesday as she began her bid for a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title.

The 34-year-old six- time champion battled to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Swiss qualifier Amra Sadikovic, ranked at 148 in the world.

She will face fellow American Christina McHale for a place in the last 32.

“My mom was up there in the Royal Box, so that was nice,” said the American star after giving mother Oracene Price an after noon to remember on Centre Court.

Williams claimed victory over Sadikovic on a second match point courtesy of a successful Hawk-Eye challenge.

“I never underestimate any opponent. I always expect the best of myself,” added Williams, who won 12 straight points at the start of the match to open a 3-0 lead.

Top seed Williams won her 21st major at the All England Club 12 months ago by beating Garbine Muguruza.

But her hopes of going level with Steffi Graf ’s Open era record of 22 has stalled since that day.

MURRAY SWEEPS INTO SECOND ROUND

Andy Murray made a flying start to his bid for a second Wimbledon title as the world number two crushed British wildcard Liam Broady 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday.

Murray has lost successive Grand Slam finals to Novak Djokovic this year, but the 2013 Wimbledon champion believes he can end that frustrating run now he is reunited with coach Ivan Lendl after a two-year hiatus in their partnership.

WAWRINKA SEES OFF TEENAGER FRITZ

Stan Wawrinka met stiff resistance from American teenager Taylor Fritz before he finally asserted his dominance in a 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-4 first-round victory at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Wawrinka, who will play Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro in the next round, said he and other players needed to get used to grasscourt conditions.