Both number-one seeds moved on to the third round, on Thursday, despite a week of upsets, with both Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams both winning their respective matches in straight sets.
Djokovic beat American qualifier Bobby Reynolds 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-1 to reach the third round of the Wimbledon tournament. Reynolds' elimination marks the first time since 1912 that American males failed to get out of the second round - with 11 Americans all gone from this year's edition of Wimbledon.
Reynolds started out strong in the first set, but Djokovic dominated the tiebreaker, having little trouble disposing of the American from Centre Court. Djokovic never faced a break point and broke Reynolds twice each in the second and third sets.
"I think the fact that the top players lost in the last few days gives enough reason for all of us to not underestimate any opponent," said Djokovic. "Everybody, especially lower ranked players in the opening rounds, have nothing to lose really when they go on the center stage and they come up with their best game."
Meantime, Williams, a five-time Wimbledon champion, defeated Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2 and is scheduled to take on 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm, who became the oldest woman to reach the third round at Wimbledon in the "Open era". Date-Krumm defeated Alexandra Cadantu of Romania 6-4, 7-5, marking the furthest she has ever advanced at the All English Club.
Date-Krumm is the second-oldest woman to win a match at Wimbledon, only surpassed by Martina Navratilova, who, at the age of 47 reached the second round in 2004.
"I have so much respect for [Date-Krumm]," said Williams. "I think she's so inspiring to be playing such high-level tennis at her age. And she's a real danger on the grass court, I know that. I definitely will have to be ready."
Williams, who became the third-oldest woman in the Open era to win a Grand Slam tournament after capturing this year's French Open as well as riding a 33-match winning streak, may have a clear path to the finals with both her main rivals Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka eliminated on Wednesday.
In other action, last year's runner-up - Agnieszka Radwanska - defeated France's Mathilde Johansson while China's Li Na overcame a poor second set to beat Simona Halep of Romania. American Madison Keys, moved on to the third, making her Wimbledon debut, defeating 30th-seeded Mona Barthel of Germany 6-4, 6-2.
On the men's side, Juan Martin Del Potro defeated Jesse Levine of Canada 6-2, 7-6 (7), 6-3. Play was suspended due to rain late in the day.
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