Serena Williams’ bid to become the first back-to-back women’s singles winner in Paris since Justine Henin in 2007 begins today and the American gets to face a good friend of hers, France’s Alize Lim.

The pair got acquainted at the Mouratoglou Academy in Paris and were tweeting photos of themselves together from Friday’s Players’ Party at the Eiffel Tower, which is why Williams could be forgiven if she preferred to play someone else in her opening round.

“We were talking about it before the draw was made (me and Alize). It’s ironic,” said the defending champion, who has never played Lim before. “She’s a great player. She’s been doing really well. So we’ll see.”

Williams has managed to transform herself into a top clay-court player after previously struggling on the surface.

Her only victory here prior to last year was in 2002, but she finds herself now completely dominant on a surface where she’s only lost three matches in the past three seasons. 

The world No1 says her victory in Rome last week – after suffering a thigh injury in Madrid – came at the perfect time. 

“It was important for me, because I didn’t get to play as much clay as I did last year. I had to stop in Madrid early, so I wasn’t even sure if I was going to play Rome,” said the 32-year-old.

“Then to come out the win gave me a lot of confidence. I got a lot of matches in there and I needed those matches. I felt good after them.” 

On how she feels as the No1 seed week in, week out, Williams said: “I like being seeded No1.  

“The favourite part is definitely the fact that there is more pressure. But as Billie Jean King tells me, pressure is a privilege.”

Williams could potentially face her sister Venus in the third round of the tournament but the older Williams sister must first get past a tricky first round against Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic, who won the junior event here last season.

World No3 Agnieszka Radwanska opens proceedings on Philippe Chatrier against Chinese up-and-comer Zhang Shuai while eighth-seeded Angelique Kerber, who lost to Karolina Pliskova in the Nurnberg quarters a few days ago, takes on Poland’s Katarzyna Piter.