Serena Williams said she was inspired by NFL great Tom Brady after an impressive start to her quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam on the opening day of the Australian Open.
Williams, 39, playing in her 100th match at Melbourne Park, looked sharp and hit 16 winners against Germany's Laura Siegemund in the 6-1, 6-1 romp in 56 minutes.
As she completed her first-round victory, fellow American Brady was lifting his seventh Super Bowl title having spearheaded the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an upset 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
"It's unbelievable ... it's unreal," Williams said of the 43-year-old Brady, who collected his fifth Super Bowl MVP in his first season since leaving New England Patriots.
"I just was watching as much as I could.
"You can't say it was the system he was at formerly. It's definitely Tom Brady ... he's Tom Brady. He's amazing."
Williams came through her first-round encounter showing no signs of the shoulder injury that ruled her out of the semi-finals of last week's Yarra Valley Classic.
"This was a good start, it was vintage Serena," said Williams as she chases Margaret Court's record Grand Slam tally.
"Wasn't sure how my serve would be after the shoulder [injury], but it's feeling good."
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) and tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) celebrate after beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium. Reuters -
Tampa Bay Buccaneers players run to the field as they are introduced before Super Bowl LV against the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium. Reuters -
Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes in action with Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Anthony Nelson. Reuters -
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady and his family celebrates after winning the Super Bowl. Reuters -
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (L) walks his daughter Vivian (3R) his son Jack (R) wife Gisele Bundchen (2R) and son Benjamin (obsccured) after the Buccaneers deafeated the Kansas City Chiefs to win the National Football League Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. EPA -
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy after winning the Super Bowl LV. Reuters -
A cardboard cutout is held by a fan wearing a protective face mask due to the coronavirus disease . Reuters -
General view as the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepare for the opening kick during Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium. Reuters -
Cut-out photographs of fans fill some of the seats to maintain social distancing due to the coronavirus disease at Raymond James Stadium for Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida. Reuters -
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Leonard Fournette in action with Kansas City Chiefs' Ben Niemann. Reuters -
General view in action. Reuters -
Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes in action. Reuters -
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady in action. Reuters
The 10th seed, competing in her 20th Australian Open, turned heads with her attire - a multi-coloured, one-legged catsuit inspired by late sprint queen Florence Griffith Joyner, popularly known as "Flo-Jo".
She remains the fastest woman in history, holding the 100m best of 10.49sec set at the 1988 Seoul Olympics - a remarkable feat that was always under the shadow of suspicions that it was fuelled by drugs.
"I was inspired by Flo-Jo, who was a wonderful track athlete, amazing athlete when I was growing up," Williams said.
"Watching her fashion, just always changing, her outfits were always amazing.
"The Nike team actually thought of this design of inspiration from Flo-Jo.
"I was like, 'Oh, my God, this is so brilliant'."
Williams, the seven-time Australian Open champion, will play Serbia's Nina Stojanovic in the second round on Wednesday.
Naomi Osaka overcomes lack of sleep to advance
An anxious Naomi Osaka overcame nerves and a sleepless night to kickstart her Australian Open with an easy straight-sets victory as she eyes redemption after a shock early exit last year at Melbourne Park.
The Japanese star faced a potentially tricky first-round contest against world No 39 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, but made light work of the Russian 6-1, 6-2 in 68 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
The 23-year-old, seeded three, looked physically strong having withdrawn from the warm-up Gippsland Trophy in the semi-finals, blaming a long-standing shoulder problem.
She won the first four games and continued the momentum as she relentlessly worked Pavlyuchenkova around the court with 18 winners.
It was an effortless performance from the US Open champion, who revealed she was battling nerves ahead of the year's opening Grand Slam.
"I was really nervous. I couldn't really sleep last night," she said. "I can't sleep before finals and before the first rounds. I never want to lose in the first round."
The 2019 Australian Open champion returned to the site of her humbling third-round defeat last year to teenager Coco Gauff, a shock upset that still gnaws.
"There's a bit of a lingering feeling given that was the last match I played on Rod Laver," Osaka said of her straight-sets loss to the American.
"She is sort of the person that I never wanted to lose to in this situation ... just being the defending champion, losing to her in such a high-profile match. I think it really shocked me."
Osaka faces former top 10 player Caroline Garcia of France in the second round on Wednesday.
