Serena Williams: I had to battle against internal problems at Aus Open

America's Serena Williams reacts during her Australian Open second round match against Tamara Zidansek in Melbourne. Pic /Getty Images

Melbourne: Serena Williams admitted she was frustrated and not at her best as she fought off a stubborn Tamara Zidansek to reach the Australian Open third round on Wednesday. The American great, one short of Australian Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles, faces China's 27th seed Wang Qiang next in Melbourne. Williams, 38, was never in serious trouble against the 70th-ranked Slovenian Zidansek, winning 6-2, 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena. But the eighth seed was restrained in her celebrations and said: "It was a good match for me, she was a really good fighter, she did not just let me win."

Zidansek, 22, put up resistance in the second set with Williams twice failing to break when 40-0 up on the Slovenian's serve. Williams then struggled through her own service game at 3-2 down, with a brief stoppage while the roof closed because of more rain in Melbourne. Williams finally broke Zidansek's stubborn resolve in the seventh game, getting the break of serve on the way to victory in one hour 18 minutes. The American great described herself as "frustrated" by her failure to bury her opponent in those two service games.

"I made so many errors in a row and had to battle through my own internal problems," said Williams. "I knew I had to play better and couldn't keep making unforced errors like that, otherwise it was going to be a long evening for me." Williams, who has won the Australian Open seven times, thrashed Wang 6-1, 6-0 when they met at the US Open quarter-finals last year. She dropped just three games in her opening win over Russian teenager Anastasia Potapova on Monday in Melbourne.

Gauff faces Osaka next

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff set up an Australian Open blockbuster with defending champion Naomi Osaka on Wednesday. American teenager Gauff, showing a tenacity which is becoming her trademark, clawed her way back from a set down to beat the experienced Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Gauff, who screamed and pumped her fists as she completed her victory, said her "will to win" had got her through the tough second-round match at a windswept Melbourne Park.

American teen star Coco Gauff and Defending champion Naomi Osaka

"My parents always told me you can always come back - no matter what the score is," said Gauff, who beat seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in round one. Japan's Osaka, 22, beat China's Zheng Saisai 6-2, 6-4 but briefly lost her cool mid-match, hurling and kicking her racquet when she gave up a break in the second set. "I was thinking that I really don't want to play a third set this time," explained Osaka, who is defending a Grand Slam title for the second time.

Wozniacki advances too

Former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, playing her final tournament before retiring, came from behind in both sets for a 7-5, 7-5 win over Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine.

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