Davenport Outmuscles Molik to Reach Third Round at Wimbledon

LONDON (Reuters)

Ý‚ Third seed Lindsay Davenport powered past Australia's Alicia Molik 6-4 6-2 in a brutal baseline battle on Thursday to move into the Wimbledon third round.

The 1999 champion slugged it out with Molik, ranked 70, on Centre Court before clinching the key break in the seventh game.

Molik saved three set points in the ninth game but Davenport served out a game later after 34 minutes.

The American, runaway champion on Eastbourne grass a week ago, streaked away in the second set with powerful hitting from the back of the court and clinched victory with a delicate drop shot.

She will face either Switzerland's Patty Schnyder or German Jana Kandarr in the last 32.

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