Former champion Serena Williams made a triumphant return to Melbourne Park to lead a batch of so-called underdone stars into the second round of the Australian Open.

World No.2 Amelie Mauresmo, Wimbledon winner Maria Sharapova and US Open titleholder Svetlana Kuznetsova also progressed with minimal fuss, each after entering the season's first grand slam without playing a competitive match in 2005.

But 1995 Open champion Mary Pierce was one of just four seeds to crash out on the opening day.

The seventh-seeded Williams, playing for the first time since straining a stomach muscle in her loss to Sharapova in the final of the season-ending championships in Los Angeles last November, marked her comeback to major tennis in grand fashion with a 6-1 6-1 pasting of Frenchwoman Camille Pinn.

Declaring herself in fine physical fettle and ready to add to her five major titles, the former world No.1 said she was delighted to be back after missing last year's event while recovering from knee surgery and the shooting death of her sister Yetunde.

"I really like this surface. I enjoy playing out here a lot. I have good memories out here so it's fun to be back," Williams said after booking a date on Wednesday with Madagascan Dally Randriantefy.

"I definitely wouldn't be here if I didn't think (I could win). I'd rather stay home.

"I always see myself as someone that's coming here for seriousness and to win the tournament. My goals are just to win pretty much my matches. I think grand slams come with it."

Mauresmo, with her left thigh strapped to protect the leg injury that forced her out of last week's exhibition event in Hong Kong, rallied from a service break down in the second set to ease past Australian Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-3.

Still seeking to breakthrough at grand-slam level, Mauresmo will play young Russian Dinara Safina for a place in the last 32.

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