MELBOURNE, Jan 8: Serena Williams marked her return to the tennis stage with a 6-4, 6-0 demolition of Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson in the first round of the Hobart International on Monday.

The American was making her comeback after a four-month injury layoff and was eager to prove a point about her fitness before the Australian Open begins next Monday.

World number 60 Arvidsson was ranked 34 spots above Williams but that counted for little against a player who has won seven grand slam titles.

After allowing her opponent four games in the first set, the 25-year-old Williams was relieved that her knee held up well as she ran Arvidsson ragged in the second.

Joining Williams in the next round was local favourite Alicia Molik, who desperately wants to recapture the form that lifted her to eighth in the world in 2005 before an inner ear infection put the brakes on her career.

The Australian repaid local organisers for her wildcard with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over Croatian Jelena Kostanic.Defending champion Michaella Krajicek lost her grip on the title when France's Severine Bremond beat her 3-6, 6-1, 6-0.

Bremond did not let a medical time out for a leg injury distract her and stunned Krajicek with her fierce ground strokes in the last two sets.

India's Sania Mirza also ignored the form book when she beat fourth-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-4, 6-4.—Reuters