Melbourne, Australia ? Venus Williams is ready to make up for lost time.

Showing no ill effects from her extended layoff, Williams returned to the Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-1 victory today over American teen-ager Ashley Harkleroad.

Sidelined for almost six months last season because of an abdominal injury, the third-seeded Williams won in her first major since losing the Wimbledon final to sister Serena in July.

“I was real excited out there today,” Venus Williams said.

Before the match, she was feeling “a little sentimental.”

Afterward, “it was just like a breath of fresh air,” she said.

In men’s play, Wimbledon champion Roger Federer found his range with his powerful forehand and beat Alex Bogomolov Jr., 6-3, 6-4, 6-0. Also, former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt was leading Cecil Mamiit, 6-2, 6-4, 1-0, when the American retired after he crashed into the umpire’s chair while chasing a drop shot.

On the women’s side, ninth-seeded Chanda Rubin had a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win over Sweden’s Asa Svensson and moved into a second-round match against Denisa Chladkova of the Czech Republic, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Stephanie Foretz of France.

The only slips were a twisted ankle in the fourth game and one dropped service game, in the fifth game of the second set.

“I was going for my swing volley and twisted my right ankle,” she said. “I’ll monitor it, see how it goes — I’m not expecting it’ll cause any problems.”

She served at speeds up to 119 mph and won 75 percent of points on her first serve. She didn’t waste any time, between points or on them, producing 27 winners against Harkleroad, ranked No. 51 last season.

Williams won in 51 minutes, approaching the net and opting not to jump for Harkleroad’s desperate lob on match point. She smiled as she watched it drop behind the baseline.

“It’s been a long, long time,” the four-time Grand Slam winner said.

Top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne didn’t lose a game advancing to the second round, while No. 4 Amelie Mauresmo and No. 5 Lindsay Davenport also advanced. Second-seeded Kim Clijsters opens later today.

The second-seeded Federer reeled off seven consecutive games to close in 1 hour, 29 minutes and extend Bogomolov’s record in Grand Slam tournaments to 0-5.

Federer reeled off seven consecutive games to close in 1 hour, 29 minutes and extend Bogomolov’s record in Grand Slam tournaments to 0-5.

Federer will meet another American qualifier in the second round after Jeff Morrison beat Dennis van Scheppingen, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.

Mamiit had his right ankle treated, served in the next game against Hewett, then withdrew.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said Hewitt. “I think I’d worked into a position that was going to be hard for him to get out of anyway.”

Hewitt’s last three rivals have all retired during matches.