The S.W.19 drama could not continue at Wednesday's frenetic pace and Torpid Thursday produced the usual diet of rain, frustration and easy matches for Wimbledon's top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams who sauntered through their second round matches without conceding a set.

Djokovic took an hour to find his mojo after journeyman American Bobby Reynolds took him to a tie break in the opener. The No 1 seed then completed the rout 7-6, 6-3, 6-1 under the Centre Court roof which may well have to be deployed again today if the weather forecasters are right.

Astonishingly Reynolds, who usually plies his trade in the satellite futures tournaments, was the last American male player standing. Not since 1912 has an American male failed to get through to the third round of the world's most prestigious tennis tournament.

Happily for US broadcasters and their huge team of backup staff Serena Williams is still strutting her stuff in majestic fashion while they have youngsters such as Madison Keys, who ousted the No 30 seed Mona Barthel, and Sloane Stephens in the mix.
Williams found 19-year-old French starlet  Caroline Garcia, who narrowly lost to Maria Sharapova in the 2011 French championships, quite a handful on Court No 1. Garcia has never quite lived up to her promise but she possesses a big serve and a pleasing backhand which stretched the world's No 1 player to a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

But whenever Garcia looked dangerous Williams was able to bring out her big gun - notably her 123 mph serve - to quell the opposition. Afterwards all the talk was about whether she would accept a challenge from Andy Muray to play a one-off match in Las Vegas.

Williams said, laughing; "Me - play Andy? Is he sure? That would be fun. I doubt I would win a point but it would be fun. Murray is one of the top three people I definitely don't want to play. But yeah, maybe we can have a bit of a showdown."

It will never happen and even Murray, who seemed prepared for the challenge, later confessed that this was an idea suggested by someone who tweeted him. I can reveal that, during the 2003 Australian championships and away from prying eyes, Williams did indeed have a set with a man, Denmark's Kenneth Carlson.

Carlson, who had been in the world's top 100 hundred players, was ten years older than Williams, his career on the downgrade and was smoking between games. It was only through an act of generosity on his part that she won a single game, going down by 6-1. Because men are faster and stronger I doubt the world's number 500 male would struggle to beat the best woman on the planet at tennis. Discuss!

Earlier in 1998 both Williams sisters - Serena was 16 and Venus 15 months older - took on the German world ranked 203 Karsten Braasch, who also liked to train on cigarettes and beer. He beat both of them separately and comfortably.

Djokovic, when told of the impending match, suggested he play Maria Sharapova. Much of this talk has arisen because of a film being launched this week about the "match" in 1973 between American misogynist Bobby Riggs, who had won the mixed doubles at Wimbledon before the war, and Billie Jean King who was 29 and at the height of her powers.

This came about after Riggs had beaten the multiple Wimbledon champion Margaret Court the year before. Court had been a bag of nerves and Riggs exploited her vulnerability. King's victory, watched by 55 million US television viewers, was a great triumph for the sisterhood. Ultimately it has led to financial parity between male and female players at Grand Slam tournaments.

Today it is Britfest on the Centre Court with Laura Robson, scheduled to have played yesterday on Court 12, transferring to the main arena for her second round encounter with Colombian qualifier Mariana Duque-Marino who is no mug having despatched the useful German Julia Goerges, ranked 36 in the world, on Tuesday.

Later Andy Murray takes on the resurgent Spaniard Tommy Robredo who became only the second man ever to come back from two sets down and win three matches at a single Grand Slam which he achieved at last month's French Open.

Robredo, 31, was out for a year with a leg injury slipping to 471 in the world. But he has fought his way back to 29 and is clearly as fit as ever. Not known as a grass court player and never having gone beyond the third round at Wimbledon he should be no match for the Scot. But Robredo beat the Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in straight sets on Wednesday and the latter is good on grass and in form, having won the tournament in Holland last week.

French Davis Cup star Michael Lodra caused some controversy yesterday, quitting his singles against Andrea Seppi after losing the first set 7-5, claiming a niggling hamstring injury. Then, four hours later, he was back on court with doubles partner Nicolas Mahut to beat Jan Hajek and Jaroslav Levinsky 5-4, the latter retiring with back trouble.

Llodra later said; "I'm sorry for the spectators. I'm sure they wanted to see me play but today was not enough with my body. If I have to prove I was injured I will have an MRI scan."

The Anglo-Australian pairing of Jamie Delgado and Matt Ebden saw off the scratch partnership of Leyton Hewitt and Mark Knowles in the men's doubles in an entertaining match by 6-3, 7-5, 7-6. As a teenager Delgado was regarded as the bright hope of British tennis, and far more promising than Tim Henman, having won Florida's Golden Bowl. He remains a talented doubles specialist.

Among the seeds to fall yesterday were the giant Canadian Milos Raonic who was defeated by Dutchman Igor Sijsling 7-5, 6-4, 7-6. In the women's draw the aforementioned Barthel lost to Madison Keys 6-4, 6-2  while Kiwi Marina Erakovic, who could meet Laura Robson in round four, downed China's Shuai Peng 7-6, 6-2.