Light Workout for Venus

It was hard going at times, but Venus Williams' nerve held as two-time former Wimbledon title-holder saw off the challenge of Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik in straight sets.

Having come through a rain-interrupted first set, the American imposed her superior strength to sweep away with the second and clinch a place in the third round.

There were goosebumps and grey skies on Centre Court after the first rain of the Wimbledon fortnight and an icy touch of concern for Venus Williams before she won her opening set 6-4 in 34-minutes.

Katarina Srebotnik, the world's No42, swapped thumping serves with the 1999 and 2000 champion in a ding-dong first set of their second round tie.

Neither player held their serve with certainty until Srebotnik, who had delivered slightly the more menacing, finally served up a love game to go 3-2 ahead.

Williams thundered back a love game of her own. And when Srebotnik carelessly offered her three break points in the next game there was never any doubt that Williams would grab the first one.

Williams was a straight-sets winner the last time they met four years ago and she looked like repeating that success when, despite missing a big chance to go set point up in the ninth, she finally took the opener with two piercing aces.

Srebotnik, who beat Britain's Anne Keothavong in the first round, started determinedly again in the second set but Williams was now unstoppable and broke for a 2-1 lead.

Her opponent hardly helped herself with some wild hitting in contrast to her earlier form and a series of shotgun returns by the American was enough for her to take command.

Srebotnik had no answer to her rival who broke twice more to sew up the proceedings and complete a comfortable win.

Elsewhere, another former champion, Lindsay Davenport went through with a routine 6-3, 6-1 win over Italy's Rita Grande.

Women's singles - second round

Ai Sugiyama (Jap) (13) bt Eva Fislova (Slo) 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 7-5

Maja Matevzic (Slo) bt Magui Serna (Spa) (24) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

Iroda Tulyaganova (Uzb) bt Petra Mandula (Hun) 6-3, 6-4

Paola Suarez (Arg) bt Magdalena Maleeva (Bul) (12) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3

Cara Black (Zim) bt Denisa Chladkova (Cze) (30) 6-3, 7-5

Nathalie Dechy (Fra) (22) bt Daja Bedanova (Cze) 6-2, 6-4

Chanda Rubin (US) (7) bt Amy Frazier (US) 6-4, 6-4

Vera Zvonareva (Rus) (16) bt Conchita Martinez-Granados (Spa) 6-3, 6-1

Silvia Farina Elia (Ita) (27) bt Maureen Drake (Can) 7-6 (7-3), 6-1

Lindsay Davenport (US) (5) bt Rita Grande (Ita) 6-3, 6-1

Nadia Petrova (Rus) bt Angelique Widjaja (Ina) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3

Francesca Schiavone (Ita) bt Amanda Coetzer (Rsa) (17) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4