It was a contrasting Wednesday for top seeds Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic as both progressed to Wimbledon's third round with, unusually, Murray taking the quicker route.

The latter entertained a full Court One crowd for no more than 84 minutes as he allowed his hapless Slovenian opponent Blaz Rola little mercy and only two games. Rola, ranked world number 92, and the best player on the American college circuit last year, just could not fathom Murray's spin, guile or service.

Even when Murray was offering up his fragile second serve at 76 mph Rola seemed like a rabbit in headlights, his left-handed returns proving to be no more than tasty fodder for the Murray ground strokes.

It was the quickest grass court match of Murray's senior career, bettering the six games he lost to Russia's Nikolay Davidenko two years ago. If this is the effect new coach Amelie Mauresmo is having on him then "Vive La France".

Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match

The Duchess of Cornwall abandoned her prime slot in the Royal Box on Centre Court to catch a brief glimpse of Murray as he bludgeoned his way to his 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 victory.

Afterwards Murray conceded that he had wasted too many winning opportunities in the recent French championships when up in his matches and had forfeited much needed energy.

He said: "I'm not saying I would have beaten Rafa (Nadal in the semi final) but it cost me there playing lots of long matches. Against Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round I was up in every set and I eventually went to 12-10 in the fifth. So it's important to get through these matches as quickly as possible."

In stark contrast Djokovic was within two points in a fourth set tie breaker of being taken to a fifth set by his friend and hitting partner, 35-year-old Radek Stepanek, who has been round Wimbledon's grass courts for more than 12 years.

Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek prays to the umpire as he appeals match point during his second round match defeat

In the best match seen on Centre Court so far this year Stepanek used all his guile and wiles to frustrate the former champion. Stepanek had beaten Murray at Queen's two weeks ago and was thoroughly at home on this green sward.

He won the third set tiebreak and pushed the Serb hard thereafter. At 5-5 in the fourth set tiebreak Stepanek missed an easy forehand volley which would have given him set point. Instead Djokovic served for the match with a forehand pass being called out by the line judge. An appeal to Hawkeye confirmed that the passing forehand had clipped the outside of Stepanek's line and the three hour match was over.

Djokovic, at 27 the same age as Murray, said: "Credit to him - he's an entertainer and loves the big stage. We have hit together many times and know each other's game. I have not had a pre Wimbledon tournament on grass this year and perhaps that showed."

Murray who faces a possible semi final against the Serb will have noted that last remark.

Murray will have to have overcome a possible quarter final match against the man they call Baby Fed, Grigor Dimitrov, the 23-year-old boyfriend of Maria Sharapova.

Passion: Great Britain's Andy Murray celebrates winning his second round match

Dimitrov, like Federer, has taken some four years to start to fulfil his undoubted potential. But a victory at the recent Queen's Club tournament has clearly given him the confidence to propel his career. Although Bulgarian he speaks with an American accent betraying his upbringing.

Yesterday he demolished the hopes of young Australian Luke Saville, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 with a calm efficiency. He has a backhand that demands comparison with Federer's and a 135 mph serve that is more powerful than that of the Swiss.

He lost only 14 points in the entire match when serving. He said; "My coach Roger (Rasheed) is a very tough but fair man. And I love to work. I love to give everything from myself every day. Maria is one of the best workers out there, one of the best students of the game.

"I am different towards my preparation and how I like things to be done. But I am also a workaholic."

David Ferrer, the number seven seed went out in five sets to Andrey Kuznetsov, the 2009 Junior Wimbledon champion from Russia who failed to even qualify for recent tournaments in Halle and Eastbourne. Ferrer claimed afterwards to be suffering from a virus.

Great Britain's Naomi Broady looks dejected during her second round match

Britain's No 6 player Tara Moore suffered a bout of nerves when 4-2 up in the final set of her held over match against the 2010 Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonereva. Twice Moore served for the match only to double fault at game point.

It was a disappointing end to a gutsy encounter that promised so much, even if the Russian who was out of the game for two years with shoulder problems was not at her best.

Naomi Broady was easily beaten 6-3, 6-2 by former World No 1 Caroline Wozniacki, who is clearly now over the heartbreak of her split with golfer Rory McElroy. Broady's 120mph serve wasn't enough to compensate for erratic ground shots.

Today Britain's hopes rest on the Centre Court appearance of Heather Watson who faces the number nine seed Angelique Kerber who reached the semi finals in 2012.

Left handed Kerber lost in the Eastbourne final to rising American star Madison Keys last Saturday and is far from unbeatable. Watson will need to curb her nerves on the biggest tennis stage of all but she has the talent to do it,