Washington, Jan 18 : Serena Williams is battling through intense pain after she accidentally hit her racket on her face at the Australian Open on Thursday.

After rolling her ankle during her first round win the 15-time grand slam champion hit herself in the face with her racket, as she brushed aside Spanish teenager Garbine Muguruza 6-2 6-0.

According to CNN, the injury `left her anxiously checking her mouth for damage'.

The five-time Melbourne winner told reporters after setting up a third-round meeting with Japan's Ayumi Morita that she believed that such things kept happening and could happen to anyone.

Williams has no fears that her ankle injury would hinder her progress at the tournament, saying she felt no discomfort, although she did take painkillers.

Williams remains on course for a semifinal showdown with world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka after the Belorussian took just 55 minutes to beat Greece's Eleni Daniilidou 6-1 6-0, the report added. (ANI)