Serena Williams powers past Camila Giorgi at ASB Classic

MICHAEL BRADLEY / AFP

Serena Williams has kickstarted 2020 with a stunning, straight-set victory over Camila Giorgi at the Auckland Classic.

She beat Giorgi 6-3 6-2 in an hour and eight minutes.

"I feel really good, it was fun to be out there," Williams said. "It’s really good that I still have some power left in my arms and my legs."

This was her first singles match since she lost to Bianca Andreescu in the US Open final. 

The 23-time Grand Slam champion will play either Christina McHale or Ann Li in the second round of the singles.

Meanwhile, third seed Amanda Anisimova overcame Ukraine's Kateryna Kozlova in straight sets.

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