Venus Williams has battled back from a set and two breaks down to defeat Camila Giorgi 4-6 7-6(3) 6-1 in the third round of the Australian Open.

The Italian showed her intent in the match as she broke the American in her second service game, but Williams managed to hit back immediately to restore parity in the set.

However, Giorgi was able to manoeuvre the 34-year-old around the court to earn her second break, and she managed to close out the first set 6-4, despite the best efforts of the number 18 seed.

Giorgi continued her fine form as she broke Williams in the first game of the second set, and quickly earned another to put herself in command of the match.

However, Williams battled back to break the 23-year-old when she was serving for the match, and the 2003 finalist forced a tie-breaker where she displayed her class to take the set 7-6, with a four-point victory in the tie-breaker.

The 34-year-old had all the momentum going into the final set and she dominated proceedings breaking the dispirited Italian three times to secure a 6-1 victory, and her place in the fourth round of the competition.

Williams will now face Agnieszka Radwanska in the next stage of the tournament.