WIMBLEDON, England — Back on one of tennis' top stages, Venus Williams cut a familiar figure Monday at Wimbledon, from her latest original, somewhat-see-through outfit to her trademark booming serves and aggressive groundstrokes.
    Williams smacked seven aces at up to 118 mph, totaled 23 winners to only five unforced errors, and overwhelmed 97th-ranked Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan 6-3, 6-1 in the first round at the All England Club.
    The seven-time major champion recently was off the tour for about five months with a bum hip, including missing the French Open, and this is only her fourth tournament in nearly a year.
    "It's a good place to start. And this is kind of like a home for her. She loves it," said Williams' hitting partner, David Witt. "She feels confident out here, and in women's tennis, 'confident' goes a long way."
    There sure was nothing shy about a playsuit Williams called "trendy": white and sleeveless, with a deep "V'' neckline, a triangle cut out in the back, a gold belt and gold zipper.
    "Jumpers are very 'now,'" she explained, "as is lace."
    Not as sensational as the corset-like black lace number with skin-toned undergarments that drew so much attention at the 2010 French Open, but Monday's romper looked something akin to a toga and surely would have won the approval of her Roman goddess namesake.
    "She always has something interesting," said the 6-foot-3 Amanmuradova, a rare opponent taller than the 6-foot-1 Williams. "It's good to have something different on the tour. I wear shorts, and everybody is criticizing that I look like a guy. ... If she feels comfortable, perfect. Personally, I wouldn't wear this, because it's not going to look good on me. But if it's white, you can play. That's the rule. If everybody wears the same, it's boring."
    Williams' outfit — and, of course, superb play, which betrayed no lingering effects from her injury — generated the most buzz on Day 1 in the 125th edition of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament.
    "I do realize I don't have as many matches," said Williams, only 5-2 this season and only 9-3 since last July. "So, yeah, for sure, I know I need to kind of come out firing. Been pretty good at that in the past — and today."
    Others reaching the second round included 10-time major champion Rafael Nadal, whose parents sat in the Royal Box during his 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over 90th-ranked Michael Russell of Houston; No. 4 Andy Murray, and No. 10 Mardy Fish.