Serena into third round but far from at her best

LONDON: Double former Wimbledon champion Serena Williams claimed her place in the third round on Wednesday despite looking far from her best in a 7-6 6-3 win over Australian Alicia Molik. 

The seventh seed looked deflated at 4-1 down in the first set after Molik broke her in the fourth game but she composed herself to break back in the seventh and the 11th.   

The 25-year-old American had set point on her serve at 6-5, but sent a forehand into the net and eventually lost the game.

In the ensuing tiebreak, Williams came from behind to nail the set with an ace and a loud 'Come on!'  

The 2002 and 2003 champion again faltered early in the second set, dropping her serve in the third game but then seemed to find her confidence to come back at her opponent with a double break.   

The match was settled on an unusual note when the electronic line-calling device Hawkeye was called on to determine a Molik shot was out -- although the players had already shaken hands at the net believing a later Williams shot had been the winner.