Three-time champion Novak Djokovic dropped just five games as he booked his place in the third round of The Championships with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Czech 22-year-old Adam Pavlasek, who found that meeting your childhood heroes can be a daunting task on a tennis court.
But pre-tournament favourite and No.3 seed Karolina Pliskova was ousted in three sets by Magdalena Rybarikova 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Djokovic, the No.2 seed, will face a revitalised Ernests Gulbis in the third round after the Latvian – playing on a protected ranking – downed former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(3).
Seven-time champion Roger Federer was broken early and admitted to being more nervous than usual before running away with a 7-6(0), 6-3, 6-2 result against Djokovic’s countryman Dusan Lajovic.
Last year’s finalist Milos Raonic was staring down two set points to trail two sets to love before turning it around against Russian Mikhail Youzhny 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 7-5.
Kyle Edmund’s hopes of joining the British quartet already through to the third round were dashed by No.15 seed Gael Monfils, who advanced 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-4.
Grigor Dimitrov put on a show to down Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 6-2, 6-1, capping a fine performance with one of the most entertaining match points you could hope to see.
Up next for Dimitrov is Dudi Sela, who twice fought back from a set down to beat John Isner 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-3 in three hours, 51 minutes. Mischa Zverev didn’t need quite as long to see off Mikhail Kukushkin – the German regrouped after seeing a two-set lead disappear to win 6-1, 6-2, 2-6, 3-6, 6-4 in three hours, 15 minutes.
At the other end of the scale, David Ferrer needed just 18 minutes to progress in the first win of the day, albeit in unfortunate circumstances. The former world No.3 led Steve Darcis 3-0 in the first set when the Belgian retired with a back injury.
Later in the day, Dominic Thiem, the No.8 seed, recovered from a set down to beat Gilles Simon 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands was taken directly to hospital after collapsing to the court with a severe knee injury against Sorana Cirstea at the start of the third set. The Olympic gold medallist was bidding to complete the non-calendar Grand Slam in doubles with Lucie Safarova, who was visibly upset by the incident.
Safarova was unable to regroup for her singles match later on Thursday, when she fell to American Shelby Rogers 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3.
That s how I love to see u love, holding a trophy with @luciesafarova and smiling and you will be back soon there!! All my to u champ pic.twitter.com/7QZjyQQaCP
— Marion bartoli (@bartoli_marion) July 6, 2017
No.1 seed Angelique Kerber avoided the same fate as the No.3 seed Pliskova, holding out 2013 semi-finalist, Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 7-5, 7-5. She will meet Rogers next.
Dane Caroline Wozniacki was impressive in a 6-3, 6-4 dismissal of Wimbledon specialist Tsvetana Pironkova. The No.5 seed will face Estonian Anett Kontaveit for a place in the fourth round.
Agnieszka Radwanska found the going tough against Christina McHale, who came within a whisker of posting a Wimbledon upset for the second year running. In 2016 the American was a point away from a double-break lead over eventual champion Serena Williams in the final set; on Thursday she saw two match points come and go before Radwanska prevailed 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-3.
But fellow former finalist Garbiñe Muguruza was in imperious form against Yanina Wickmayer en route to a 6-2, 6-4 win, while Alison Riske ousted No.12 seed Kristina Mladenovic 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Svetlana Kuznetsova made the perfect start to her second-round match, but the No.7 seed met more resistance from compatriot Ekaterina Makarova in the second set before dispatching the former quarter-finalist 6-0, 7-5.
CoCo Vandeweghe made light work of Germany’s Tatjana Maria, the No.24 seed posting a 6-4, 6-2 victory in 75 minutes, while qualifier Polona Hercog’s run continues – the Slovenian fought back to beat Varvara Lepchenko 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-2.
In the doubles, top seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers surged to a 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 win over Italians Fabio Fognini and Andreas Seppi, while Naomi Broady and Heather Watson came out on top in the all-British clash, downing Wimbledon debutants Harriet Dart and Katy Dunne 7-5, 6-4.
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares, the No.3 seeds, advanced with a 7-6(9), 6-2, 6-4 win over Czech duo Roman Jebavy and Jiri Vesely, and the Bryan brothers emerged victorious against Australian duo Marc Polmans and Andrew Whittington 7-5, 6-2, 6-4, but Dom Inglot is out after he and Dutch partner Robin Haase lost to Philipp Petzschner and Alexander Peya 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-7(10), 6-4, 6-3.
Quote of the day: “It's unbelievable. This is really unbelievable … I'm extremely happy for her and for Latvia, that we have such a great player” – Ernests Gulbis praises his countrywoman, French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, after his victory over Juan Martin del Potro.
Stat of the day: Since defeating Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set at Wimbledon 2010, John Isner is 0-4 in five-setters at the All England Club, losing to Alejandro Falla in 2012, Marin Cilic in 2015, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2016 and Dudi Sela this year.
