US Open: Serena tops Taylor; Federer beats Matosevic in opener

Serena Williams started her quest to join Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova in joint fourth place on the career Grand Slam list with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over 18-year-old fellow American Taylor Townsend at the US Open on Tuesday.

Williams, seeking her third successive US Open title and 18th grand slam singles crown of her career, was simply too experienced for the erratic-yet-gifted Townsend, the 2012 Australian Open junior singles and doubles champion.

"Taylor is incredibly talented, she's just so good," Williams said of the big-serving left-hander in a courtside interview, while praising the emerging crop of US women in professional tennis. "We have such an amazing future."

Williams, who improved her US Open career record to 73-9, advanced to meet 81st-ranked Vania King after the American battled to a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy.

Margaret Court (24), Steffi Graf (22) and Helen Wills Moody (19) lead the list of all-time grand slam singles titles in women's tennis.

Roger Federer launched his bid for an 18th grand slam title with a workmanlike 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Marinko Matosevic to ease into the second round of the US Open on Tuesday.

Roger Federer launched his bid for an 18th grand slam title with a workmanlike 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Marinko Matosevic to ease into the second round of the US Open on Tuesday.

A five-time US Open champion, Federer never appeared threatened by Matosevic but the 76th ranked Australian still forced the Swiss maestro to work up a sweat in front of a center court crowd that included basketball great Michael Jordan.

Dressed all in black, Federer broke his opponent once in each set but in the third Matosevic finally broke back forcing it to a tie-break, which the third seeded Swiss won 7-4 by clinching the final three points.

Federer will next meet another Australian Sam Groth, who was a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 winner over Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas.