Serena Williams beats Belinda Bencic in Australian Open first round – as it happened

American world No2 beats Bencic 6-4, 6-3 at Melbourne ParkSerena Williams is world No2 but she’s as dangerous as ever 3.11am GMTIt was a somewhat laboured performance by Serena Williams, but in many ways this was expected. The Australian Open is always a tough one for players as the heat coupled with the beginning of Open season never makes for an easy competition. Bencic looked strong in stages but she was let down by her second serve and her inability to make Williams move a little more.