Tennis:Defending champion Serena Williams recovered from a slow start to beat Romanian Simona Halep 3-6 6-2 6-1 in the Wimbledon second round today.
The American seventh seed, playing just her fourth competitive match in nearly a year after injuries and serious health problems, eventually hit her stride after the tenacious Halep had played an outstanding first set.
With the sun breaking through from some menacing black clouds, Serena broke serve in the second game of the second set and her 19-year-old opponent's resistance quickly crumbled.
The decider was a breeze as 13-time grand slam champion Williams powered ahead. Halep, who required treatment in the first set after a slip, saved three match points at 0-5 but the American ended the contest in the next game.
She will play either Maria Kirilenko or Tamarine Tanasugarn in the next round.
Wild card Sabine Lisicki saved two match points on her way to a 3-6 6-4 8-6 victory over French Open champion Li Na in a second-round classic in the Wimbledon women's singles on Centre Court.
The German was a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon two years ago and looked set to break into the top 20 before an ankle injury ruled her out for five months and sent her ranking tumbling outside 200.
She has gradually climbed her way back over the past few months, though, and showed what a threat she might pose by winning the AEGON Classic title in Birmingham two weeks ago.
And so it proved as Lisicki recovered from losing the first set to seal a famous victory, although the third seed will feel she should have won having twice served for the match.
Lisicki said: "It was really hard. I had to start from zero after being on crutches for seven weeks. It just means so much to me.
"Also winning the title in Birmingham and getting the wild card here. I appreciated it so much to be back in Wimbledon. It's a place that I love so much."
Sixth seed Francesca Schiavone booked her spot in the third round with a 7-5 6-3 victory over Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova. The Italian now faces Tamira Paszek, who was a 6-4 6-1 victor over Christina McHale.
Ana Ivanovic was the first winner of the day as she claimed a simple 6-3 6-0 victory over Eleni Daniilidou. The 18th seed has only lost four games in her first two matches.
Twelfth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova also enjoyed success early on day four at SW19 as she defeated Alexandra Dulgheru 6-0 6-2. She now meets Yanina Wickmayer in round three. The 19th seed from Belgium was a 3-6 6-4 6-2 winner against Anna Tatishvili.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova saw her dreams of glory in London disappear. The 14th seed lost 6-3 6-3 to her fellow Russian Nadia Petrova.
Dominika Cibulkova made progress to the third round with a 6-1 6-2 win over Polona Hercog.