Venus Williams began her bid to re-capture the Zurich Open title she last won in 1999 by defeating Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-3, 6-4 yesterday.
The second round match did not go entirely smoothly for the third seeded American, although she was never placed under any real pressure.
Bondarenko rallied well, while Williams struggled to find consistency.
Although Williams hit four aces she also produced four double-faults, and her several advances to the net were not always successful.
After failing to convert three break points at 2-1, and needing to save a break point at 3-3 before holding on her sixth game point, Williams finally broke to lead 5-3 with a fine forehand winner down the line.
The second set was decided when Bondarenko double-faulted to drop her serve at 1-1, and although Williams failed to make the most of two match points on her opponent's serve at 5-3 but she closed out the match in the next game.
"She always plays well and she's determined and I think she played some good points out there," said Williams.
"I played okay, and when the points became more important I seemed to be winning those, especially on her serve. But I'll be looking to improve my level with every round."
In a first round match, Italy's Flavia Pennetta took just 54 minutes to overwhelm Russian Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-1.
Except for her 6-1, 6-0 loss to Dinara Safina in Tokyo last month, it is Petrova's heaviest defeat since she was beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Lindsay Davenport in Los Angeles in July 2004.
The one-sided result was unexpected as all three of their previous matches had stretched to three sets, but Petrova was unable to find any touch or rhythm against an opponent who was consistent and aggressive, and all too ready to take advantage of her opponent's distress.
The Italian set the pattern by winning the first seven points, and Petrova was unable to earn a game point until she was trailing 5-0, 30-30.
A toilet break at the end of the first set appeared to have had a positive effect as Petrova returned to hold serve at the beginning of the second, but her recovery was short-lived as she was broken to love in her next service game.
Pennetta's reward for her victory is the opportunity to end the three-tournament, 12-match winning streak of top seed and world number one Jelena Jankovic.
In another first round match, Swedish qualifier Sofia Arvidsson rallied to defeat Austrian left-hander Sybille Bammer 0-6, 7-5, 6-4.
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