Caroline Wozniacki looked every inch the world number one as she comfortably dismissed Virginie Razzano 6-1 6-3.
World number one in commanding form at Wimbledon
Caroline Wozniacki looked every inch the world number one as she comfortably dismissed Virginie Razzano in their second-round match on Wimbledon's Court Two, while Venus Williams was also an easy winner.
The 20-year-old Dane, looking to dispel the theory that the top-ranked woman rarely challenges at a grand slam, needed just an hour and 11 minutes to take an impressive 6-1 6-3 victory.
Her serve worked well throughout but it was the quality of her groundstrokes - in particular her backhand - that caught the eye and she only made one unforced error on her way to the win.
Razzano, whose first-round win over Sania Mirza was her first since the death of her fiance last month, served out the opening game with some ease and showed little sign that she was about to lose the next six to go a set down.
The top seed's winning streak ended at seven games early in the second set as Razzano clung on to her serve, but the Frenchwoman's forehand let her down in the next game as Wozniacki held again.
Razzano, the world number 96, had to be encouraged up from the floor by the crowd midway through the fourth game after she netted with a simple volley, an error that allowed Wozniacki back to 30-30 on her way to a fourth break of the match.
And with Wozniacki giving nothing away on her serve, there was no way back for Razzano, even though she saved three match points during a game that had to be halted when a ball from a neighbouring match flew on to the court.
Venus flying
Venus Williams cruised into the fourth round as she mercilessly put Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez to the sword with a 6-0 6-2 win on Court One.
Questions over Williams' ability to still mix it with the best were raised as she struggled in her previous round against Kimiko Date-Krumm, but the American looked back to her best, delighting a packed crowd with a brutal and clinical display.
The 31-year-old, who has just come through a lengthy injury absence, bludgeoned her way to a faultless first-set whitewash and gave her opponent no chance in the second to set up a last-16 clash with the woman who knocked her out here last year - Tsvetana Pironkova.
The five-time champion needed just over an hour to complete a comprehensive victory and set-up her bid for revenge against last year's quarter-final conqueror Pironkova.
Bulgarian number 32 seed Pironkova is in form having knocked out second seed Vera Zvonareva, last year's beaten finalist, in the third round.
"I'm feeling good and it's great to be ready for the second week and I've got a couple of days off to get things in order," Williams said.
"Last year I wasn't on my best game but this year I'm going to look forward to playing a bit better than I did last time."
Azarenka through
Fourth seed Victoria Azarenka reacted brightest to a rain delay on Wimbledon's Centre Court to clinch a three-set victory over Daniela Hantuchova.
The match was tied at one set all and with Hantuchova serving at 2-1 down when the rain came, forcing the players off court while the roof was closed.
When play resumed, Azarenka was clearly fired up and pounced on Hantuchova's serve to claim what proved to be the decisive break.
Azarenka, the highest-ever ranked Belarusian woman, won 6-3 3-6 6-2 and will meet Nadia Petrova in the fourth round.
"(The rain break) probably was to my advantage but I am actually really glad I stayed so composed, I went out there very motivated and focused. That was important," said Azarenka.
"Daniela is in big form right now and it was a tough battle. We had a lot of great rallies and she serves big so I had to stay tough, keep fighting and take the first chance I got."
