Standing next in the 23-time grand slam champion's way is 18-year-old Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, who upset 23rd seed Carla Suarez Navarro to reach the third round of a slam for the first time.

"It is so surreal".

But as Williams herself said back in August: "When it comes to fashion, you don't want to be a repeat offender".

However, a succession of huge serves got Serena out of the trouble and she promptly reeled off the next four games to complete another hugely convincing win.

The signs looked ominous for Bouchard when she won only one point on her opening service game, then failed to hit a return when it was Serena's turn to serve.

However the Frenchman could not find the consistency to match Djokovic, who continually forced his opponent into one more shot to draw the mistake, and more importantly break back nearly immediately on the rare occasion Tsonga forged an opening.

If that's what her competitors have to say about Williams before taking the court against her, it's no wonder she's winning in straight sets.

"I have so many good memories of the last time I was here, honestly, it's just literally the best win of my career". What would she think of his recent comments that on-court coaching should be allowed at Grand Slams in the future?

Birrell was born to Australian parents in Dusseldorf, Germany, while her father John was working as a tennis coach.

"This tournament especially, he has played five Grand Slam finals here which is remarkable".

She hadn't dipped her toe in Grand Slam waters since NY, where everything devolved after Williams was warned for getting coaching, then docked a point for breaking a racket and eventually docked a game for calling the chair umpire "a thief" during the final.

Williams is bidding to match Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam crowns, and win an eighth in Australia, on her first return to Melbourne Park since lifting the trophy in 2017 while pregnant. I'm going to go out and take her extremely seriously.

In this picture taken on March 8, 2016, former world number one German tennis player Steffi Graf speaks during an interview in Tokyo. She could pick one point from her opening service game.

Elina Svitolina was in her comfort zone in moving through to the third round - but less so when her relationship with fellow player Gael Monfils was made public.