Friday 1 July 2016 08:48, UK
Former finalist Sabine Lisicki surged into the third round of Wimbledon with a 6-4 6-2 victory over 14th seed Samantha Stosur on Thursday.
Lisicki is unseeded this year having slipped down the rankings, but has enjoyed previous success at the All England Club, reaching the final in 2013 and semi-finals in 2011.
She could prove a tricky potential fourth-round opponent for last year's beaten finalist, Garbine Muguruza.
Fifth seed Simona Halep also looks in good form after she eased into the third round with a 6-1 6-1 victory over Francesca Schiavone in just over an hour.
American youngster Madison Keys made harder work of her second-round clash with Kirsten Flipkens but came through 6-4 4-6 6-3.
The ninth-seeded American is unbeaten on grass this year having won the Aegon Classic in Birmingham.
There was disappointment for seventh seed Belinda Bencic as injury forced her to retire from her match with American qualifier Julia Boserup, trailing 4-6 0-1.
Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams was given a tough test by Greek qualifier Maria Sakkari on Court 18 before winning 7-5 4-6 6-3.
While most of the players were playing their second-round matches on Thursday, some were still completing their first following two days of rain delays.
Swiss 11th seed Timea Bacsinszky, who reached the quarter-finals last year, finally took to Court Three to beat Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum 6-4 6-2.
"I can get angry about it and lose energy by getting angry, or I can just accept it's like that," said the 27-year-old.
"The Grand Slam rhythm isn't the same as other tournaments, but I think every player competing here is professional enough to be able to deal with it.
"It wasn't that easy, because I had the tension of the match on Tuesday, on Wednesday, and today. So it's kind of weird."
Sloane Stephens was another to complete her first-round match on Thursday, beating Peng Shuai 7-6 (7-5) 6-2.
But at least Bacsinszky and Stephens are still in the tournament. Among the seeds to fall were Sara Errani (20) and Karolina Pliskova (15).
Pliskova was one of the form players heading into Wimbledon after winning in Nottingham and reaching the final in Eastbourne, but continued her poor Grand Slam record as she lost 6-7 (5-7) 3-6 to Misaki Doi.
Italian Errani, meanwhile, went down 6-7 (4-7) 5-7 to Alize Cornet.
