Cincinnati Open: Serena Williams makes winning start but Johanna Konta suffers surprise first-round defeat

Williams defeated Daria Gavrilova in her first match back after withdrawing from the Rogers Cup due to ‘personal reasons’ while Konta was beaten by Aryna Sabalenka

Johanna Konta suffered a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat by Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in the first round of the Cincinnati Open (Getty)

Serena Williams made short work of her first-round match at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati as she dismissed opponent Daria Gavrilova in little more than an hour.

The former world number one pulled out of last week's Rogers Cup in Montreal, citing "personal reasons", and had earlier suffered the worst defeat of her professional career against Johanna Konta in San Jose.

But any doubts about the American's fitness were soon quashed as she raced to a 6-1, 6-2 victory, firing eight aces and using an aggressive forehand to overcome Australia's Gavrilova in 66 minutes.

Britain's Konta was unable to find the form she displayed against Williams in San Jose as she was beaten 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka, whose countrywoman Victoria Azarenka, a wild card this year, also advanced after beating Carla Suarez Navarro 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-4.

In the day's other matches, number 13 seed Madison Keys came from a set and break down to beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

After missing tournaments in San Jose and Montreal due to a wrist injury, Keys hit 13 aces in total - eight in the final set - but needed seven match points to close out the win in two hours and 15 minutes.

Williams made a winning return to action after withdrawing from the Rogers Cup (EPA)

Kristina Mladenovic moved into the second round after Germany's Julia Goerges retired, while Rebecca Peterson triumphed 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 over Katerina Siniakova, and Alize Cornet beat Jelena Ostapenko 1-6, 7-5, 6-0.

PA