Serena Williams progressed to the third-round of Wimbledon with a straight set victory over French teenager Caroline Garcia.
The defending champion was well aware of the exodus of players having a game of their career upsetting title contenders and she avoided every drama, comfortably cruising to a 6-3, 6-2 victory on Center court.
The 31-year-old American is on the quest of winning a sixth Wimbledon singles titles, and has now extended her career-best winning run to 33 matches.
Williams will be up against the oldest woman to reach Wimbledon third round since the open era, Kimiko Dante-Krumm of Japan, who defeated Alexandra Cadantu 6-4, 7-5.
The top seed dropped just three points on serve in the first set against 19-year-old Garcia, and was equally impressive on the return , with two thumping forehands earning her a break in game five.
“It was really a good win, Caroline is a really good player- it was a good win today,” Williams told BBC Sport.. “She’s incredibly promising and her serve is amazing and I knew it would be a good match. I really love these moments when I am out here and I live and die for each match.”
Garcia dumped an inviting forehand into the net when facing a third set point, but the former junior world number one battled hard in the second.
The French Open champion clenched her fist when she made the key breakthrough to lead 4-2, and Garcia swung a backhand wide to give the American victory after sixty-seven minutes.
“I think Caroline is really a good player,” Williams added. “I played her at the French Open and she played really well, so it was good to get another win today.
Madison Keys, the 18-year-old American who beat Britain’s Heather Watson in round one, progressed to the third round with a 6-4, 6-2 win over German 30th seed Mona Berthel.
Australian Sam Stosur beat Olga Puchkova of Russia 6-2, 6-2, while Germany’s Lisicki saw off Russian Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-3.
