Serena cruises into second round at French Open
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Serena Williams put last year's early exit at the French Open behind her by dominating her first-round match on Sunday in Paris.
Williams, the top seed and 2002 women's champion, lost to France's Virginie Razzano in the first round of this tournament in 2012. It was the first time Williams was defeated in the opening round of a Grand Slam event.
The 31-year-old American started this year's French Open with a 6-0, 6-1 rout of Anna Tatishvili of Georgia on the famed red clay at Stade Roland Garros.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Williams owns a career-best 25-match winning streak with titles in each of her last four events -- Miami, Charleston, Madrid and Rome.
Sara Errani, the No. 5 seed, started her run for another title appearance with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Arantxa Rus.
Errani fell to Russian superstar Maria Sharapova in last year's French Open title match.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, got past Petra Martic 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the No. 19 seed, outlasted Andrea Hlavackova 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
Meanwhile, Yulia Putintseva defeated Ayumi Morita 6-2, 6-3, Petra Cetkovska beat Olga Puchkova 6-0, 6-2 and Mallory Burdette downed Donna Vekic 6-4, 6-4.