London: Defending champion Petra Kvitova took just 35 minutes to reach the Wimbledon second round on Tuesday as the tournament sweltered in near record-breaking heat.
Second seed Kvitova raced to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Kiki Bertens, the world number 138 from the Netherlands, on Centre Court.
Kvitova, also the 2011 champion, dropped just one point on serve and next meets Kurumi Nara of Japan for a place in the last 32.
“It’s great to be back on Centre Court and unbelievable to see all the people clapping,” said the Czech, who had been laid low by illness in the week before the tournament.
Kvitova’s only dropped point on serve came on a double fault in the final game of the match. The powerful 25-year-old left-hander would have been relieved to have enjoyed a brief first round outing as temperatures rocketed to around 30 degrees Celsius.
Joining Kvitova in the second round was 10th seeded German Angelique Kerber who handed compatriot Carina Witthoeft a 6-0, 6-0 drubbing.
Kerber, a semi-finalist in 2012 and who won the Birmingham tournament on grass in the run-up to Wimbledon, took just 45 minutes to clinch victory, firing 21 winners past the world number 53.
It was the third so-called “double bagel” result of the women’s first round.
Serena and Venus Williams meanwhile withdrew from the Wimbledon women’s doubles, a title they have won five times.
No immediate reason was given for the withdrawal although both sisters are still involved in the singles tournament and could meet in the fourth round.
Their place in the draw was taken by lucky losers Misaki Doi of Japan and Switzerland’s Stephanie Vogt.
Serena and Venus have won 13 doubles majors together and, on Monday, Venus said they were hoping to play more in the run-up to the Rio Olympics. “We’re looking forward to Rio 2016. We’re trying to get a early start on preparing, start playing some doubles matches, get the hang of it,” said Venus after her opening singles match.
The sisters also withdrew from the Australian Open this year.
Last year, they were forced to quit the Wimbledon doubles mid-match when Serena suffered a virus which left her dizzy, unsteady on her feet and unable to hit the ball over the net.
