Pliskova, Keys in third round

Wimbledon: Seventh seed Karolina Pliskova won a battle of former world number ones as she beat Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-3 to reach the third round at Wimbledon for the first time on Wednesday.

From the moment Azarenka dropped serve with a loose error in the third game, Pliskova always looked likely to break that sequence against the Belarussian who is still trying to rediscover her past form after returning from having a baby.

World No 11 Madison Keys and five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams reached the third round of the Wimbledon tennis championships here on Wednesday.

Keys defeated World No 91 Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 16 minutes to secure her spot in the Grand Slam tournament's third round for the fifth time in her career.

World No 55 Donna Vekic of Croatia also advanced to the third round after beating Sweden's Rebecca Peterson 7-5, 6-4.

Five-times Wimbledon champion Venus Williams dropped her opening service game and lost the first set before finding her rhythm to beat qualifier Alexandra Dulgheru 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 in the second round on Wednesday.

Roger Federer was back making a style statement with his dazzling tennis as he gave Lukas Lacko a 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 dressing down to reach the third roundon Wednesday.

Seven-time champion Serena Williams moved up a gear to beat Bulgarian qualifier Viktoriya Tomova 6-1, 6-4 in the second round.