Tennis - Serena Williams comfortably beats Bouchard to move into third round

Tennis - Australian Open - Second Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, January 17, 2019. Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts during the match against Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Serena Williams soundly beat Eugenie Bouchard 6-2 6-2 on Thursday night, racing through the last five games to advance to the third round of the Australian Open.

Easily beaten in the first set, the Canadian Bouchard, a former Wimbledon finalist who has been trying to retrieve her stellar form of five years ago, pressed early in the second to lead two games to one.

Williams responded in dominant fashion, however, and did not drop another game on her way to ending the match with a drive-volley winner.

Tennis - Australian Open - Second Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, January 17, 2019. Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates after winning the match against Canada's Eugenie Bouchard. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

The American is vying for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, and will play Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska in the third round.

(Reporting by Jonathan Barrett in MELBOURNE; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Tennis - Australian Open - Second Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, January 17, 2019. Serena Williams of the U.S. in action during the match against Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Tennis - Australian Open - Second Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, January 17, 2019. Serena Williams of the U.S. in action during the match against Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard. REUTERS/Aly Song