LIVE TENNIS: Yarra Valley Classic, Gippsland Trophy scores, results, video highlights

Unheralded Australian Daria Gavrilova will strive to make a giant statement when she clashes with legendary American Serena Williams in the Yarra Valley Classic at Melbourne Park on Monday, en route to her Australian Open campaign.

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The world No.451 set up a date with the 23-time grand slam champion in a straight-sets victory over Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova on the opening day of the exhibition tournament.

Gavrilova trumped Kuzmova 6-2, 6-0 to bag the only Australian win across the first day of the Yarra Valley Classic and Gippsland Trophy tournaments, with the seven other Australians all losing.

Gavrilova is yet to defeat Williams after three one-sided match-ups.

The 26-year-old lost to the superstar in straight sets at the 2013 Qatar Open, 2016 Rio Olympics and 2018 Western and Southern Open.

The only other Australian set to compete on Monday is world No.1 Ash Barty, who will play her second official match of 2021 when she meets Romanian Ana Bogman.

Barty fell to world No.2 Romanian Simona Halep in three sets at A Day at the Drive in Adelaide on Friday.

But the Queenslander looked in classy nick despite not having played a professional match since the Qatar Open in February 2020.

Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu has trumped China's Saisai Zheng in a grinding affair on the first day of the Gippsland Trophy at Melbourne Park.

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World No.42 Zheng snared the first set 6-3 before seed No.79 Begu struck back to win the second and third sets 7-5 and 6-4 respectively.

The clash between Begu and Zheng rounded out the first day of Australian Open lead-up events.

The Gippsland Trophy and Yarra Valley Classic are taking place between today and February 6, while the Grampians Trophy will run from February 3-7.

Meanwhile, men will contest in the Great Ocean Road Open and Murray River Open between tomorrow and February 7.

Slovenian Kaja Juvan has fought back from an opening-set loss to defeat China's Yafan Wang on the opening day of the Gippsland Trophy.

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World No.104 Juvan lost the first set 6-4 but claimed the second and third sets 6-1 and 6-4 respectively, in her clash with No.96 seed Yafan Wang at Melbourne Park.

American star Venus Williams has praised Tennis Australia for their success in salvaging a summer of tennis amid the chaotic COVID-19 times.

The seven-time grand slam champion, who's Down Under for her 21st Australian Open campaign, defeated the Netherlands' Arantxa Rus in straight sets on the opening day of the Yarra Valley Classic at Melbourne Park.

MORE TENNIS NEWS: 'Tough for these young people': Injured ball girl forced to leave court during match

Williams then lauded Tennis Australia, headed up by chief executive Craig Tiley, in her post-match interview on Nine.

"It wasn't easy to get here, it wasn't easy to put on this event," Williams said.

"It was a thing of courage, so many thanks to Tennis Australia for making this happen. Man, that was an effort.

"So happy to be here."

Aussie Sam Stosur has gone down in straight sets to young Czech star Marie Bouzkova.

Bouzkova, ranked No.52 in the world, advances to the second of the Yarra Valley Classic following a 6-2 6-0 win over Stosur.

"I think I was just solid today, trying to go for my shots when I had the chance," Bouzkova said after the match.

"Sam plays so heavy, so it's difficult sometimes to feel the ball. I'm happy the way I stayed solid and served well when I needed to.

"Overall, I'm really happy."

Australia's Sam Stosur faces an uphill battle to remain in this tournament in her opening match-up against Czech youngster Marie Bouzkova.

The veteran was dominated 6-2 in the opening set, letting herself down with a number of wayward strokes.

She'll be hoping for a fast start in the second set to get herself back into this contest.

Australia's Daria Gavrilova has enjoyed a dominant performance against Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova, running out a 6-2 6-0 winner.

It was an impressive performance from the 26-year-old, and she offers a little bit of an insight into her preparation for this clash.

"I think I had great preparation last night," she says.

"Unfortunately, I had to miss a pretty big event, my friend's birthday. We were meant to go to karaoke and I was pretty upset about that so I thought I had to lock in today."

Next up for Gavrilova is a clash against the 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams and she scoffs at suggestions that Williams is "rusty".

"I've seen her training on Instagram, she doesn't look rusty at all," she says.

"I think I better be prepared, definitely not a karaoke night before that one."

Estonian Kaia Kanepi has pulled off a stunning comeback against Aussie Astra Sharma.

In a match that lasted 2 hours and 10 minutes, Sharma couldn't do much wrong early on when she took out the fist 6-1, and then led 2-0 in the second.

But Kanepi would click into gear by taking the second set 7-5, sending the match to a decider before claiming the third set 6-2.

"No, I don't [think I'm playing my best tennis]," Kanepi said after the match.

"I think today was a big struggle.

"After a month and a half off, it was difficult to play again."

Game well and truly on!

Despite a dominant start from Aussie Astra Sharma, who took out the first set 6-1, Estonian opponent Kaia Kanepi has stormed right back.

Down 2-0 in the second set, Kanepi kicked into gear and somehow found a way to take out the set 7-5 and send the match to a decider.

A young ball girl was forced to leave the court during Aussie Arina Rodionova's match with Caroline Garcia at the Gippsland Trophy tournament in Melbourne.

Play momentarily stopped early in the first set, with chair umpire Miriam Bley intervening when it appeared the ball girl had suffered an injury and was unable to perform her duties at the end of the court.

The chair umpire explained to the young girl that she needed to leave the court before a tournament official stepped in to help her off the court.

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