Serena Williams marched into the third round of the US Open today, beating fellow American Lindsay Lee-Waters 6-4 6-3.
The third seed, who again walked on to court wearing long black boots, was given a useful work-out by the 27-year-old who managed to break serve once in each set.
But Serena never looked in trouble and wrapped up the match in exactly one hour. The twice former champion will face 30th seed Tatiana Golovin of France in the third round.
Earlier, Lleyton Hewitt hit the ground running after a two-day wait to start his campaign, racing past experienced South African Wayne Ferreira 6-1 7-5 6-4.
Hewitt, who came into the tournament on a 10-match winning streak, came out bristling with intent against an opponent playing his 14th consecutive US Open.
The 2001 champion has not threatened to win a grand slam since his Wimbledon title in 2002, but those who wrote him off have had to eat their words this year when he has claimed four hardcourt titles.
Top seed Roger Federer identified Hewitt as one of the main dangers at Flushing Meadows this year and there was plenty of evidence to support his prediction.
Hewitt raced through the first set in 20 minutes and after taking such a pounding the 32-year-old Ferreira, who retires after a Davis Cup tie this month, must have wished he had brought his decision forward by a few weeks.
Ferreira, who has played in 57 grand slams, just one short of the record set by Jimmy Connors, was not about to walk off into the sunset without a fight however.
He traded blows with Hewitt throughout a high quality second set but the pressure coming from the other side of the net finally told as he was broken at 5-5.
Hewitt served out for a two-set lead and moved swiftly in for the kill early in the third, breaking Ferreira immediately, and was never in danger of losing his grip.
There was less good news for Australia elsewhere as 1998 runner-up Mark Philippoussis retired injured in the fifth set of his first-round match against Russian Nikolay Davydenko on Louis Armstrong Court.
Philippoussis was leading two sets to one when he twice needed lengthy treatment on his left hip. Davydenko snatched a fourth set tiebreak and although a clearly hampered Philippoussis struggled on he conceded when trailing 4-1 in the decider.
Australia's Alicia Molik became the highest-ranked woman to exit, the 17th seed being brushed aside by former world number five Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 6-3 in early second round action.