We should know by now that with Serena Williams, what you see in practice is not always what you will get when the matches begin.

Having pulled out of the Hopman Cup earlier this month with inflammation on her knee, concerns increased when she ended a practice session early in the days leading into the event.

Two matches into the Australian Open and the six-times champion looks fresh, fit and in form, which means bad news for the field she’s largely been destroying for much of the past few years.

“I think I was really focused,” the world No 1 said after a 6-1, 6-2 drubbing of Su-Wei Hsieh of Taipei.

“That first round really helped me because I was really just fighting. I really gave a big effort there. Today again I just wanted to stay focused for the whole time.

“I don't think I made that many errors today. Something I was hopefully trying to get back into. And I moved much better today, I think, so slowly but surely feeling a little bit better.”

Williams said her knee was no longer bothering her and certainly her movement was good, so good that she was able to hit a shot that went around the net.

“It’s always cool to do something fresh and new,” she said. “I don't know if I have done that. I could be wrong, but I definitely don't remember ever hitting a shot like around the net. So it was good.

Williams’ next assignment tomorrow will be against Daria Kasatkina, a Russian who beat Venus Williams in Auckland in the run-up to Melbourne.

“I don't think it's going to be easy. Any time someone is beating Venus they are more than likely playing really good.

“So I definitely will be ready for that. I obviously will ask Venus what she thought of the match, and I'm sure Patrick (Mouratoglou, her coach) will know everything about her match and stuff. He's really good at studying. I'll be ready for that.”

Should the seedings go to plan here this fortnight, Williams will find herself up against former world No 1 Maria Sharapova.

The Russian, seeded fifth this year, was another to come into the tournament with an injury question mark hanging over her but she looked good enough as she dismissed the challenge of Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus, 6-2, 6-1.

It is more than 11 years since Sharapova last beat Williams but she said she was feeling more comfortable on the court with each day.

“I feel pretty good,” she said. “I felt I was more confident with my left hand today.

“That's always something that especially when it's like in the hand/wrist area, it's in the back of your mind. I felt really good and confident today about it.”

Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska saw off an improving Genie Bouchard 6-4, 6-2 but there will be no Australian Open title for Petra Kvitova.

Twice the champion at Wimbledon, the Czech has struggled to produce her best form away from London and last night, found Daria Gavrilova too quick and too hot to handle.

The Australian, who emigrated from her native Russia in 2014, ran down everything and forced Kvitova into far too many errors to clinch a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Roberta Vinci, the Italian who ended Serena Williams’ grand slam hopes at the US Open last summer, cruised past Irina Falconi of the United States 6-2, 6-3.

And Belinda Bencic, the Swiss teenager of whom so much is expected, beat Heather Watson’s conqueror, Timea Babos of Hungary, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the last 32.