Despite layoff, Venus cruises at Aussie Open

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Venus Williams showed no ill effects from her extended layoff, returning at the Australian Open with a 6-2, 6- 1 victory Tuesday over American teenager Ashley Harkleroad.

Sidelined for almost six months last season because of an abdominal injury, the third-seeded Williams won in her first major since losing the Wimbledon final to sister Serena last July.

Williams served at speeds up to 119 mph and won 75 percent of points on her first serve. She didn't waste any time, between points or on them, producing 27 winners against Harkleroad, ranked No. 51 last season.

Williams closed in 51 minutes, approaching the net and opting not to jump for Harkleroad's desperate lob on match point. She smiled as she watched it drop behind the baseline.

"It's been a long, long time," Williams said.

Her last match at Melbourne Park was a loss in last year's final to Serena, who withdrew from this tournament because she hadn't recovered from a knee operation.

"I wanted to do well, do what my coach said -- which is my mom, so I had to," said Williams.

Her mother, Oracene Price, exchanged text messages with Serena during the match. Venus said she was missing having her sister around.

"It's just not the same. We're always together -- it's like a piece of the link is missing," she said.

After losing five Grand Slam finals to her younger sister, Venus should be grateful Serena didn't travel.

Top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne is one player who has a better chance without one of the Williams in the draw. She didn't lose a game advancing to the second round, while No. 4 Amelie Mauresmo and No. 5 Lindsay Davenport also advanced. Second-seeded Kim Clijsters was opening later Tuesday.

Wimbledon champion Roger Federer found his range with his powerful forehand and beat Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 in Tuesday's opening match on center court.

The second-seeded Federer reeled off seven consecutive games to close in 1 hour, 29 minutes and extend Bogomolov's record in Grand Slam tournaments to 0-5.

Federer will meet another American qualifier in the second round after Jeff Morrison beat Dennis van Scheppingen 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.

Spaniard Felix Mantilla, seeded 23rd, joined the seven other seeded men's players out in the first round when he lost 7-5, 6-1, 7- 6 (3) to Frenchman Thierry Ascione.

Greg Rusedski lost 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to 26th-seeded Albert Costa in likely his last match before he faces an ATP doping hearing at Montreal on Feb. 9.

Rusedski admitted two weeks ago he'd tested positive for nandrolone last July, but claims the banned steroid was contained in supplements dispensed by ATP trainers.

He said the drug issue that has overshadowed his season hadn't interfered with his tennis and now he wanted to focus on getting his case prepared.

Also advancing in straight sets were 14th-seeded Jiri Novak, a semifinalist here two years ago, Australian wild-card entry Todd Reid and Swedish teenager Joachim Johansson.

French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, seeded third, faced fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes later Tuesday.

In the women's draw, 12th-seeded Paulo Suarez, winner at a warmup event in Canberra last week, beat fellow Argentine Gisela Dulko 6-2, 6-2 and Marion Bartoli of France had a 6-3, 6-1 win over American Alexandra Stevenson, who reached the 1999 Wimbledon semifinals as a qualifier but hasn't been beyond the second round at 18 Grand Slam tournaments since.

Three Russians advanced, with sixth-seeded Anastasia Myskina beating Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 6-2, 7-5, 21st-seeded Lina Krasnoroutskaya beating Karolina Sprem of Croatia 6-3, 6-4 and Elena Likhovtseva winning 12 of the last 14 games in a 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 defeat Madagaskar's Dally Randriantefy.

On Monday, top-ranked Andy Roddick and defending champion Andre Agassi advanced in straight sets.

Roddick started his first major as No. 1 with a 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (4) victory over Chile's Fernando Gonzalez and Agassi accounted for Australian wild-card entry Todd Larkham 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.

Twelve seeded players, seven men and five women, were eliminated on Day 1, including last year's runner-up Rainer Schuettler of Germany, seeded sixth.

Morocco's Younes El Aynaoui aggravated a foot injury and quit while trailing 4-1 in the first set against Spain's Galo Blanco.

Seventh-seeded Carlos Moya of Spain withdrew after trying to practice on an ankle he hurt in Sydney last weekend. He later was critical of organizers for not granting him a later start and more time to recover.

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