Serena Williams is one match closer to a historic 24th career major after making light work of Eugenie Bouchard to move into the Australian Open third round.
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A seven-time winner at Melbourne Park, the 37-year-old blasted past the Canadian 6-2 6-2 in one hour and 10 minutes on Thursday night.
Williams will now meet Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska before a potential fourth-round clash with either world No.1 Simona Halep or sister Venus.
In a ruthless showing, Williams broke serve six times and cracked 20 winners - double that of Bouchard - but said it wasn't as easy as the score suggested.
"Genie has been to the finals of Wimbledon. She has been to the semi-finals of other grand slams so I said 'alright Serena, you have to come out hot and firing'," Williams said.
Seeded 16 at this year's Open, the American superstar missed the chance to defend her 2017 title after the birth of her daughter Olympia but seems determined to make amends having dropped just six games in her opening two matches.
"I haven't had many matches since last year but it's okay. I got time to spend with my daughter so that mattered the most to me," she said.
"I have always been told that they grow up so fast. I want to be able to take that time and say I was able to spend it with her."
Williams can draw level with Australia's Margaret Court for the most grand slam titles if she wins a seventh Australian Open.
Australian Associated Press
