Williams went up a second break for a 4-1 second set lead before hitting a forehand winner to end the match.
“She hit some great shots but my experience helped me,” said Williams.
In the second round Thursday, Williams plays qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine. Bondarenko scored an upset today in the opening round as she defeated 15th ranked Flavia Pennetta of Italy 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
The Stuttgart indoor surface presents both positives and negatives for Williams. As the fastest server on the WTA Tour, her serve should give her a speed advantage when she start points. The fast surface should also help Williams to end points quickly and avoid many long points which is not a favorite for Williams.
One possible negative indoors is that the could ball approach faster than it would on a clay surface or a hardcourt. This could pressure a player with large backswings into hitting groundstrokes earlier and with an abbreviated swing.
Williams has played only one indoor tournament this year prior to this week. At Memphis in March, Williams lost her opening match to qualifier Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
In her only indoor event of 2007 and her first tournament of that year due to a wrist injury, Williams won the Memphis tournament by defeating Shahar Peer of Israel 6-1, 6-1 in the final.
