Two-time champion Serena Williams advanced with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over Jarmila Groth.

Williams broke Groth twice in the first set and three more times in the second. She served out the 57-minute match by converting her second match point when the Czech-born Australian returned a serve into the net.

Federer's opening bow on Monday turned plenty of heads but his latest fashion statement was quickly overshadowed by the quality of his tennis against Chinese Taipei's Lu Yen-hsun.

The five-time winner here, favorite for a record 15th grand slam title in the absence of injured champion Rafael Nadal, eased past Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.

Maria Sharapova of Russia returns the ball to Gisela Dulko of Argentina during their match at the Wimbledon tennis championships, in London June 24, 2009.[Xinhua]

Sharapova, like Federer on Monday, walked on to Centre Court dressed to impress but her tennis looked decidedly second-hand as she suffered a terrible start against the sultry Dulko, dropping the first set in 35 minutes.

The Florida-based Russian, who returned from a nine-month absence from the tour in May following her shoulder problems, showed her characteristic fighting qualities to take the second set and looked favorite to win through.

However, Dulko responded in a thrilling decider and, despite spurning her first four match points, she held her nerve to make Sharapova the highest-profile casualty of the tournament so far.

Japan's 33-year-old Ai Sugiyama backed up her opening day victory over Patty Schnyder by reaching the third round with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 defeat of Spain's Arantxa Parra Santonja to set up a third-round meeting with doubles partner Hantuchova.

French Open quarterfinalist Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, seeded eight, blew away Raluca Olaru 6-0, 6-0 to set up a third round encounter with another Romanian, 28th seed Sorana Cirstea, who beat India's Sania Mirza 6-4, 6-4.

Tenth seed Nadia Petrova, one of the army of Russians that dominate the women's draw, cruised through with the loss of just five games against Israeli Shahar Peer.