"I'm just happy to have a win under my belt here," Williams said. "I was a little nervous going into the match."

Maria Sharapova, the 2004 women's champion, won the final four games of the first set and beat qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine 7-5, 6-4.

Maria Sharapova of Russia returns the ball during the Ladies' Singles first round match against Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine in the 2009 Wimbledon Tennis Championships in Wimbledon of London, UK, June 22 2009. Sharapova won 2-0

"She's a very aggressive player," Sharapova said. "She went for many shots very freely and loosely, and I was just trying to hold on." Sharapova, making a comeback from shoulder surgery last October, saved a set point in the opening set with a forehand winner and later shook off two awkward spills behind the baseline.

Joining the Russian in the second round will be Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova who ended the hopes of Britain's golden girl Laura Robson 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

The 15-year-old Robson, the youngest player in the main draw since Martina Hingis in 1995, had the distinction of winning the first ever point on the new Court Two when she fired an ace.

It was a good day for Asia, as China's Zheng Jie and Sania Mirza of India moved into the next round.

Last year's semifinalist, Zheng, the 16th seed, survived a tough test against Germany's Kristina Barrois before coming through 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4). Mirza, returning from injury woes, beat Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 in a clash of unseeded players.

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