Tennis news - Women's round-up: Eugenie Bouchard sets up Serena Williams clash

The 24-year-old needed just 59 minutes to defeat the world No 129. Peng showed some fighting spirit in the second set to break Bouchard's serve when trailing 3-0 and saved a match point, but the former world No 5 clinched the win with a fierce forehand down the centre of the court.

The 2014 Wimbledon finalist faces Serena Williams in the next round, after she made a ruthless start to her quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title with a 6-0 6-2 victory over unseeded German Tatjana Maria.

"It will be a great match. She plays really well," Williams said of Bouchard, who also reached the Australian Open and French semi-finals in 2014. "She does everything well, and I really like that she doesn't quit.

"You know, people write her off, and she doesn't let that bother her. She continues to fight and do what she needs to do. I think that's really not good."

Bouchard returned the praise for her next opponent, saying: "I think she's the greatest ever. So it's just so cool that I'll be able to share the court with her and an opportunity to see how I compare to one of the best players.

"I mean, her ranking is top 20 right now, but to me she's always basically No 1."

Meanwhile, the number 18th seed Garbine Muguruza required just over an hour and 20 minutes to book her place in the second round with victory over Zheng Saisai.

The two-time Grand Slam champion was a quarter-finalist in Melbourne back in 2017, and she overcame a late wobble to win 6-2 6-3 and set up a date with Johanna Konta in the next round.

Elsewhere, American 17th seed Madison Keys, a 2015 semi-finalist at Melbourne Park, began her campaign with an easy 6-2 6-2 victory over Australian wildcard Destanee Aiava as they opened play on the main showcourt Rod Laver Arena.

The 23-year-old Keys had too much power for the highly-rated Aiava and will meet Anastasia Potapova in the second round after the Russian overcame Pauline Parmentier in straight sets.

Venus Williams celebrated her 19th main draw appearance at the Australian Open with a come-from-behind 6-7(3) 7-6(3) 6-2 victory over 25th seed Mihaela Buzarnescu on Tuesday, marking a successful day for some of the sport's oldest active competitors.

The 38-year-old, who is unseeded for the first time since 2014 and is the oldest player in the women's draw, will meet France's Alize Cornet in the second round.

Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 3-6 7-5 6-1

17 - Madison Keys (USA) bt Destanee Aiava (AUS) 6-2 6-2

21 - Qiang Wang (CHN) bt Fiona Ferro (FRA) 6-4 6-3

Anastasia Potapova (RUS) bt Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-4 7-6

12 - Elise Mertens (BEL) bt Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) 6-2 7-5

Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 7-6 (10-7)

16 - Serena Williams (USA) bt Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-0 6-2

7 - Karolina Pliskova (CZE) bt Karolina Muchova (CZE) 6-3 6-2

13 - Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) bt Mona Barthel (GER) 6-3 6-1

Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) bt Shuai Peng (CHN) 6-2 6-1

18 - Garbine Muguruza (ESP) bt Saisai Zheng (CHN) 6-2 6-3

Tamara Zidansek (SLO) bt Daria Gavrilova (AUS) 7-5 6-3

Madison Brengle (USA) bt Misaki Doi (JPN) 6-4 6-0

Bianca Vanessa Andreescu (CAN) bt Whitney Osuigwe (USA) 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (0-7) 6-3

Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) bt Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 6-3 6-0

Natalia Vikhlyantseva (RUS) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 6-4

Camila Giorgi (ITA) bt Dalila Jakupovic (SLO) 6-3 6-0

23 - Carla Suarez-Navarro (ESP) bt Clara Burel 7-5 6-2

Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) bt Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 6-2 6-1

Laura Siegemund (GER) bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-2

6-Elina Svitolina (UKR) bt Viktorija Golubic (SUI) 6-1, 6-2

Dayana Yastremska (UKR) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS) 7-5, 6-2

Alize Cornet (FRA) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 6-2, 6-2

Venus Williams (USA) bt 25-Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 6-2

Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) bt Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2

1-Simona Halep (ROU) bt Kaia Kanepi (EST) 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-2

Zhang Shuai (CHN) bt 26-Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2

Sofia Kenin (USA) bt Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5

Dayana Yastremska (UKR) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS) 7-5, 6-2

Iga Swiatek (POL) bt Ana Bogdan (ROU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4

Margarita Gasparyan (RUS) bt Zhu Lin (CHN) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2