<p>Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic proved shock-proof as a sense of order was restored on Tuesday after the tremors that rumbled around Wimbledon on opening night following Rafa Nadal's defeat. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The top seeds limbered up on a sunny Centre Court with easy first-round wins to get their challenges underway, with Williams overpowering Luxembourg's Mandy Minella 6-1, 6-3 before Djokovic dispatched German Florian Mayer in straight sets. <br /><br />A day that began with Belgium's Steve Darcis waking up as the sport's latest giant-slayer after his shock first round defeat of 12-times major champion Nadal on Monday, continued in far less dramatic fashion at the All England club. <br /><br />The 31-year-old Williams pocketed the first set in 19 minutes against Minella and despite a slight hiccup in the second when she double-faulted to drop serve, her 32nd consecutive victory was as straightforward as they come. <br /><br />Likewise, Djokovic as he outmanoeuvred Mayer, a player just outside the top 32 seeds and who he faced in the quarterfinals last year, for a 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 victory. <br /><br />Nadal's fourth-seeded compatriot David Ferrer, who he beat to win an eighth French Open, completed a far-from-memorable Centre Court programme with a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win against Argentina's Martin Alund despite several tumbles. <br /><br />Other men's seeds also flourished with Czech 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych, Argentine 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, Germany's Tommy Haas and talented Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov all enjoying straight sets wins. <br /><br />In the women's draw, Li Na, Samantha Stosur and Angelique Kerber all progressed but 10th seed Maria Kirilenko's form in reaching the French Open last eight vanished as she suffered a surprise 6-3, 6-4 defeat by Britain's Laura Robson. <br /><br />Robson's win staunched a flow of defeats for home players which had threatened to leave Andy Murray as the only surviving Briton in the second round. <br /><br />Big-serving American Sam Querrey, the 21st seed, also suffered a first-round exit, losing in five sets to Australian Bernard Tomic, having battled back from two sets down. <br /><br />Williams said she had been "really sad" at Nadal's exit, something she put down to the quick change from the claycourts of Paris to Wimbledon's slick lawns, a transition she said had left her feeling a bit rusty on Ladies Day. <br /><br />"I played a lot of matches on clay this year, more than I've played I think ever," the five-times Wimbledon champion and winner of 16 major singles crowns, said. "I had a little tough time adjusting today. So for him (Nadal) it must have been a lot more difficult because he only played clay courts. I feel like I was a little rusty for some reason today." <br /><br />Djokovic had not played a competitive match since losing an epic French Open semi-final to Nadal earlier this month and was clearly relieved to have avoided any early stress. <br /><br />The Serb did not drop a single service game as he clicked effortlessly through the gears but said Nadal's defeat served as a warning that nothing can be taken for granted. <br /><br />"In the opening rounds it's very dangerous for top players who haven't been playing on grasscourt matches this year before Wimbledon," 2011 champion Djokovic said. <br />Williams may be the wrong side of 30 but Day Two at the championships proved that tennis is a game of ages. <br /><br />Her compatriot, 18-year-old American Madison Keys, showed that the future of US women's tennis is in safe hands as she marked her Wimbledon debut by beating Britain's Heather Watson. <br /><br />At about the same time, 42-year-old Japanese player Kimiko Date-Krumm was flying the flag for the golden oldies after a 6-0, 6-2 rout of 18-year-old German qualifier Carina Witthoeft. <br /><br />Sharan-Raja lose<br /><br />Divij Sharan and Purav Raja frittered away a two-set lead to spoil their Grand Slam debut as they bowed out of the men’s doubles, losing a marathon opening round match on Monday. The Indian qualifiers went down 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6 against American Nicholas Monroe and Simon Stadler of Germany.<br /></p>
<p>Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic proved shock-proof as a sense of order was restored on Tuesday after the tremors that rumbled around Wimbledon on opening night following Rafa Nadal's defeat. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The top seeds limbered up on a sunny Centre Court with easy first-round wins to get their challenges underway, with Williams overpowering Luxembourg's Mandy Minella 6-1, 6-3 before Djokovic dispatched German Florian Mayer in straight sets. <br /><br />A day that began with Belgium's Steve Darcis waking up as the sport's latest giant-slayer after his shock first round defeat of 12-times major champion Nadal on Monday, continued in far less dramatic fashion at the All England club. <br /><br />The 31-year-old Williams pocketed the first set in 19 minutes against Minella and despite a slight hiccup in the second when she double-faulted to drop serve, her 32nd consecutive victory was as straightforward as they come. <br /><br />Likewise, Djokovic as he outmanoeuvred Mayer, a player just outside the top 32 seeds and who he faced in the quarterfinals last year, for a 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 victory. <br /><br />Nadal's fourth-seeded compatriot David Ferrer, who he beat to win an eighth French Open, completed a far-from-memorable Centre Court programme with a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win against Argentina's Martin Alund despite several tumbles. <br /><br />Other men's seeds also flourished with Czech 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych, Argentine 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, Germany's Tommy Haas and talented Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov all enjoying straight sets wins. <br /><br />In the women's draw, Li Na, Samantha Stosur and Angelique Kerber all progressed but 10th seed Maria Kirilenko's form in reaching the French Open last eight vanished as she suffered a surprise 6-3, 6-4 defeat by Britain's Laura Robson. <br /><br />Robson's win staunched a flow of defeats for home players which had threatened to leave Andy Murray as the only surviving Briton in the second round. <br /><br />Big-serving American Sam Querrey, the 21st seed, also suffered a first-round exit, losing in five sets to Australian Bernard Tomic, having battled back from two sets down. <br /><br />Williams said she had been "really sad" at Nadal's exit, something she put down to the quick change from the claycourts of Paris to Wimbledon's slick lawns, a transition she said had left her feeling a bit rusty on Ladies Day. <br /><br />"I played a lot of matches on clay this year, more than I've played I think ever," the five-times Wimbledon champion and winner of 16 major singles crowns, said. "I had a little tough time adjusting today. So for him (Nadal) it must have been a lot more difficult because he only played clay courts. I feel like I was a little rusty for some reason today." <br /><br />Djokovic had not played a competitive match since losing an epic French Open semi-final to Nadal earlier this month and was clearly relieved to have avoided any early stress. <br /><br />The Serb did not drop a single service game as he clicked effortlessly through the gears but said Nadal's defeat served as a warning that nothing can be taken for granted. <br /><br />"In the opening rounds it's very dangerous for top players who haven't been playing on grasscourt matches this year before Wimbledon," 2011 champion Djokovic said. <br />Williams may be the wrong side of 30 but Day Two at the championships proved that tennis is a game of ages. <br /><br />Her compatriot, 18-year-old American Madison Keys, showed that the future of US women's tennis is in safe hands as she marked her Wimbledon debut by beating Britain's Heather Watson. <br /><br />At about the same time, 42-year-old Japanese player Kimiko Date-Krumm was flying the flag for the golden oldies after a 6-0, 6-2 rout of 18-year-old German qualifier Carina Witthoeft. <br /><br />Sharan-Raja lose<br /><br />Divij Sharan and Purav Raja frittered away a two-set lead to spoil their Grand Slam debut as they bowed out of the men’s doubles, losing a marathon opening round match on Monday. The Indian qualifiers went down 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6 against American Nicholas Monroe and Simon Stadler of Germany.<br /></p>