No Grand Slam gag for clinical Serena in Open opener

MELBOURNE: Although Serena Williams opened her title defense with a clinical 6-2, 6-1 victory over Poland's Urszula Radwanska yesterday, her subdued performance provoked questions about whether she was reining in her personality.

Williams, whose last Grand Slam ended in a huge fine and a two-year probation after a tirade at a line judge at Flushing Meadows, denied she had changed her on-court style to protect herself from the game's moral guardians.

"No, I don't think I was quiet at all. I felt like I pumped my fist a little bit. I feel like I was definitely being who I could be. That's all I can do," said Williams, whose loudest on-court statement was a chunky diamond medallion from her signature jewellery line.