"This is the court where I first started here at Wimbledon. Court 1 is always a special place for me to play on," the 20-year-old Gauff said in her on-court interview.
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The victory also allows Gauff, the No. 2 seed, to move another step away from last year's first-round exit.
"Overall, I just learned life a lot," the U.S. Open champion said when asked putting that three-set loss to Sofia Kenin behind her.
"I just realized that, yes, what I do I'm very passionate , but it's not ever that serious and sometimes the world can make you feel like there's so much pressure, there's so much expectation," she said. "At the end of the (day), it's a game. It's sport."
The 19-year-old Todoni is from Romania and was making her Grand Slam debut.
"I do think I could have played cleaner at some moments," Gauff said.
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Five years ago, Gauff beat Williams — a five-time Wimbledon champion — 6-4, 6-4 in the first round and eventually reached the last 16, all in her Grand Slam debut.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz trailed 6-5 in the first set Wednesday before coming back to beat Aleksander Vukic 7-6 (5), 6-2, 6-2, setting up a third-round meeting with No. 29 Frances Tiafoe after the American eliminated Borna Coric 7-6 (5), 6-1, 6-3.
When told by the on-court interviewer that Tiafoe said he's "coming after you," the 21-year-old Spaniard replied with a smile: "I'm going for him."
