Tennis-Open-Venus serves her way to victory at U.S. Open

NEW YORK Aug 28 (Reuters) - Venus Williams clocked the fastest women's serve of the U.S. Open in overpowering Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-3 6-1 in the first round at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday.

Williams withdrew from the U.S. Open last year shortly before her second-round match against Sabine Lisicki and revealed she had Sjogren's syndrome.

After a long and difficult battle to control the autoimmune disease, she is back in the second round but has a tough assignment against the sixth-seed Angelique Kerber from Germany.

Williams lost the first two games to Mattek-Sands before showing glimpses of the form that has earned her seven major titles.

She landed a first serve of 124 mph (199.5km/h) - the quickest of the women's tournament to date. (Reporting by Will Swanton; editing by Steve Ginsburg)