Serena Williams makes winning Grand Slam return at French Open

PARIS: Serena Williams made a winning return to Grand Slam tennis which was as memorable as her body-hugging black catsuit when she reached the Roland Garros second round on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old downed Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to register her first victory at the majors since her 2017 Australian Open triumph.

She will face Australia´s Ashleigh Barty in the next round.

Williams returns to Grand Slam tennis for the first time since the 2017 Australian Open where she won a 23rd major while also being two months pregnant.

The 36-year-old´s return comes with the great American ranked at a lowly 451, a consequence of her lengthy absence from the tour after giving birth to her daughter in September.

Williams has played just four matches in 2018, the last of which was a first-round exit to Naomi Osaka in Miami.

Three of her Slam titles have come in Paris -- in 2002, 2013 and 2015 -- and longtime coach Patrick Mouratoglou has no doubt that Williams is capable of adding a fourth.

"Can she do it? Serena can achieve anything -- after being her coach for six years, I´m even more sure of that statement," said the Frenchman.

Williams starts her 16th Roland Garros against Czech world number 70 Kristyna Pliskova who has never won a match at the tournament in three visits.