After acquiring a wild card invitation to feature at the Parma-hosted Emilia-Romagna Open, former world number one female tennis superstar Serena Williams found 17-year-old qualifier Lisa Pigato an easier opponent to overcome for her first victory in more than three months on Monday.

After dropping her first serve of the first round for an early scare against the teenager, Williams took control of the match and dominated her younger opponent throughout, serving six aces on the way to victory.

It was a final return to victory for Williams, who had recently found winning difficult to come by since the quarter-finals of this year’s Australian Open, where she knocked out Simona Halep.

Her series of losses began in the next round as she was eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual winner of the year’s first Grand Slam tournament, Naomi Osaka.

Williams sought to replenish her energies and took some time off. But, the results did not change because upon her return to action, Williams lost in straight sets in Rome to Nadia Podoroska, the 2020 French Open semifinalist.

Her win at Parma will do Williams’ preparations for the French Open at Roland Garros, a substantial benefit, with only two weeks before the contests for the biggest prize in clay-court season begins. The last time Williams won on clay was at the first round of the 2020 Roland Garros.

The teenager the 23-time Grand Slam champion beat on Monday, Pigato, was at her first WTA tour match which happened to be Williams’ 1,001st. Ranked No. 572, Pigato won the girls’ doubles title at last year’s French Open with Eleonora Alvisi.

Pigato asked Williams to pose for a photo with her on court immediately after the match ended.

TodayNG