Williams, Na through to Wimbledon third round

Venus Williams made it through to the third round at Wimbledon with a straight sets win over Japan’s Kurumi Nara on Wednesday.

The five-times Wimbledon champion, seeded 30th, was broken early in both sets by the world number 41, but eventually triumphed 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 in 91 minutes on Court 3.

She will face 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the third round if the Czech beats Germany’s Mona Barthel.

Chinese second seed Li Na swept into the Wimbledon third round with an imperious 6-2, 6-2 victory over Austria’s Yvonne Meusburger on Wednesday.

Li, 32, was far too strong for Meusburger, hitting 33 winners to just four from the world number 38, and will play Russia’s Elena Vesnina or Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic for a place in the last 16.

Li suffered her worst Grand Slam performance since 2011 when she slumped to an opening round exit against Kristina Mladenovic in the French Open last month, but she has wasted little time making amends at the All England Club.

This 69-minute victory on Court Two followed hot on the heels of the world number two’s comfortable straight sets win over Polish qualifier Paula Kania on Monday.