Super Serena Williams seals first win since return with straight sets triumph over Parrizas-Diaz at National Bank Open

Serena Williams has won her first match since 2021 Roland Garros and her return to action to begin the National Bank Open in Toronto seeing off Nuria Parrizas-Diaz in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

Some of the tennis on show by the 40-year-old legendary American showed that she could yet be an outside shout for the US Open as she takes an important step in her comeback with her first win of the hard court season.

Next up will be Belinda Bencic or Tereza Martincova, with Victoria Azarenka not playing Bencic due to not being allowed into Canada to play.

It was a dominant opening set from Williams who took the serve of the Spaniard at 2-0 up but lost it straight after putting it back onto serve at 2-2 from there. But a timely 5-3 dominant break saw Williams on course for the opening set.

A superb smash (below) saw Serena finally claim the opener after three prior set points claiming it on advantage to edge ahead.

Set two was all about Serena showing battling spirit as she kept saving break point after break point and after a mammoth 25 minute game which saw this in full evidence as she saved four break points throughout, this broke the spirit of the Spaniard.

Williams promptly broke in a game that breezed by in comparison at 5-4 up. She served it out just after the two hour mark with a close shave in the form of a fault followed up by an unplayable serve as she sent the Canadian crowd to their feet.