LEXINGTON, Ky. Serena Williams was calm in a return more dramatic than some might have expected even after a long layoff. Williams needed to rally to win in her comeback following a six-month layoff, beating unseeded American Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in Tuesday's first round of the Top Seed Open. Williams advanced to a second-round showdown against older sister Venus, who dispatched Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-2. The Croatian-born Pera eventually evened the set and had Williams down 0-40 at 4-4 before Williams, 38, rallied to stay on serve. She played really well.Williams needed another rally to win the next game before getting a hard-earned break to force a third set.