Scott Clarke / ESPN Images(MELBOURNE, Australia) — With a win in the first round of the Australian Open Tuesday, Serena Williams is one step closer to making history.
The No. 2 seed beat 19-year-old Belinda Bencic in two sets, 6-4, 6-3. Williams, 35, will now face Lucie Safarova in the second round.
Should Williams continue winning and take the title in Melbourne, she will break her tie with Steffi Graf and become the leader in major wins in the Open era with 23 Grand Slam titles.
Williams tied Graf with her 22nd Grand Slam win last year in the Wimbledon final against Angelique Kerber.
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