Serena Williams through in WTA Internazionali d'Italia

Serena Williams belatedly got her clay-court season started with an impressive straight-sets victory over Anna-Lena Friedsam in the second round of the WTA Internazionali d'Italia on Tuesday.

The world number one missed the Madrid Open last week due to illness, but recovered in time to return to the red surface in Rome and sealed her place in round three with a 6-4 6-3 victory.

Williams, playing only her fourth tournament of the year and eyeing a first title in 2016, produced a commanding performance to see off the unseeded German in the Eternal City and set up a meeting with either Ana Ivanovic or Christina McHale.

The 21-time grand slam champion and her sister Venus suffered a doubles defeat in Rome on Monday, but the younger sibling had too much for Friedsam as she targets a fourth Internazionali d'Italia title to build momentum ahead of the French Open.

Friedsam took the legendary American to three sets in the only previous match between the two at the French Open last year, but was unable to gain revenge for that defeat by causing a shock almost a year later.

Williams looked anything but rusty despite her lack of tournament tennis this year as she dictated the match, claiming the only break of the first set when the world number 50 fired a forehand return long.

The top seed did not allow Friedsam a look-in, showing great power and precision as she wrapped up the first set and soon went a break up at 2-1 in the second.

Friedsam put up a fight and broke back immediately in a sloppy service game from Williams, but the favourite responded with another break and saw out the match in clinical fashion.