Venus Williams survived a strong rearguard action from Yan Zi of China before advancing to the second round of the Australian Open with a 6-2 7-5 win.
The Wimbledon champion led 5-2 in the second set only for world number 61 Yan to level at 5-5, but the American recovered her poise to clinch victory in 74 minutes.
Eighth seed Williams cruised through the first set, taking it on Yan's second double fault.
The Chinese player broke for a 2-0 lead in the second before Williams hit back to win five successive games.
A series of unforced errors from Williams allowed Yan back in but the American broke in the 12th game to clinch victory.
Kuznetsova easily disposes of Dechy
Second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova trounced Nathalie Dechy of France 6-3 6-1 in the first round.
The Russian former US Open champion found herself an early break down in the first set but recovered strongly to record an impressive victory.
'I feel like doesn't matter what day I have, I go on the court and I feel more consistent that I can change things,' Kuznetsova said.
'Even if I'm not playing well, like I have always Plan B or I always can control myself, you know. Like I'm always there. I feel more consistent. I feel being better there.'
Dechy, a semi-finalist at Melbourne Park in 2005, had won three of the pair's four previous meetings but her opponent's greater power proved the difference as the match progressed.
The second set was all one-way traffic and Kuznetsova wrapped up victory in 64 minutes to set up a meeting with Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova.
Selected women's results:
8-Venus Williams (US) beat Yan Zi (China) 6-2 7-5
24-Li Na (China) beat Severine Bremond (France) 6-2 4-6 6-4
Sofia Arvidsson (Sweden) beat 10-Marion Bartoli (France) 6-7(3) 6-4 6-3
28-Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) beat Lourdes Dominguez (Spain) 4-6 6-0 9-7
14-Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Nicole Pratt (Australia) 6-1 6-3
4-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat Sorana Cirstea (Romania) 7-5 6-3
Sabine Lisicki (Germany) bt 16-Dinara Safina (Russia) 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-2
Catalina Castano (Colombia) bt 22-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-4
Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) bt 20-Agnes Szavay (Hungary) 3-6 6-4 7-5
21-Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine) bt Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) 6-4 7-6(4)
31-Sania Mirza (India) bt Iroda Tulyaganova (Uzbekistan) 6-4 6-2
29-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) bt Olga Savchuk (Ukraine) 6-0 6-1
27-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) bt Meilen Tu (US) 6-4 4-6 6-3
9-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) bt Vania King (U.S.) 6-3 7-5
6-Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) bt Andrea Petkovic (Germany) 0-0 (Petkovic retd)
