Serena Williams Looking Extremely Sharp in Madrid

So much for rust.

Anyone who believed Serena Williams would be a little rusty (that would include me), can put those thoughts to rest.

Williams picked up right where she left off a month ago in Charleston as she whipped Elena Vesnina 6-3, 6-1 in her first match in Madrid.

Williams had 14 aces and only two double faults in the match, which lasted one hour and nine minutes. Williams hit 40 winners in the match and her first serve percentage was 72 percent.

If she continues to play like this, she will certainly be one of the favorites. Even though she did well in Charleston, that's on green clay. And outside of her sister, Venus and Samantha Stosur, she didn't have a lot of top competition in that tournament.

Serena Williams' win was the biggest eye-opening match on Monday. Many of the top men did not play.

No. 11 seed Nicolas Almagro won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, but he was the only seeded player in action. Viktor Troicki, Mikhail Youzhny and Ryan Harrison were among the winners on the men's side.

Venus Williams was not as lucky as her sister, as she fell to Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-1.

Li Na and No. 3 seed Petra Kvitova were among the other winners on the women's side. Samantha Stosur rallied to beat Christina McHale 2-6, 6-4, 6-0, and No. 15 seed Jelena Jankovic was upset by Carla Suarez Navarro 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Many more big names will be in action Tuesday on both the men's and women's sides.

No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic, No. 6 Tomas Berdych, No. 9 Gilles Simon and No. 10 Juan Martin del Potro are among the men in action.

No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, No. 2 Maria Sharapova, Stosur, Serena Williams and No. 6 Caroline Wozniacki will all be playing Tuesday on the women's side.