Last year's beaten Wimbledon finalists Andy Roddick and Venus Williams made it through to the third round on Wednesday as men's champion Roger Federer prepared to reassert his authority.
Fifth seed Roddick came back from a set down to France's Michael Llodra in four sets, while there was no such trouble for his fellow American Williams, who beat Russia's Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets.
Australia's 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt had an easy passage through the second round, as did his former fiancee Kim Clijsters and her Belgian compatriot and fellow comeback girl Justine Henin.
Williams, who has won nine Wimbledon trophies in all, cruised through the first set 6-0 but was broken in the second, despite taking it 6-4.
"She really played well, it wasn't easy out there. I didn't make a lot of errors and that always helps. I was glad to come through," said Williams, the world number two.
Three-time Wimbledon finalist Roddick was making his first appearance on Centre Court since his epic 16-14 last set defeat to Federer in last year's final.
The American number one beat Llodra 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).
"That was as tough of a second round as there is in this tournament right now," Roddick said.
"He was playing flawless tennis. He played an almost perfect first set.
"It took some of my best stuff to get through that. I thought I played really well. I think I had to."
Hewitt, the 15th seed, won the first two sets 6-4 against Evgeny Korolev of Kazakhstan, who had needed treatment on a back injury and pulled out at 3-0 down in the third.
"Today didn't take a whole heap out of me," Hewitt said.
"Moving forward, if you can keep putting yourself in a position where you feel good in the second week, it makes life a lot easier.
Henin, making her first appearance at the All England Club since 2007 after coming back from retirement, is chasing the one Grand Slam title she never won, having twice been a beaten finalist here.
But the 17th seed wasted little time in downing Germany's Kristina Barrois 6-3, 7-5 to set up a third-round tie with Russian 12th seed Nadia Petrova.
"I just see myself as an outsider this year because it's still a year with ups and downs. I don't know how I'm going to deal at very high level.
"I really don't see myself as one of the favorites. I hope Wimbledon will be a goal for me one day. It's a dream at the moment."
Meanwhile eighth seed Clijsters, the US Open champion, beat Croatia's Karolina Sprem 6-3, 6-2.
Clijsters is making her first appearance at Wimbledon in four years after a spell in retirement.
The former world number one now faces Russia's Maria Kirilenko, the 27th seed.
Federer, who came back from two sets down to reach the second round, was to face Serbian qualifier Ilija Bozoljac on Court One.
The Swiss would normally expect to be playing on Centre Court, but Wimbledon organisers seem to be giving fans without the showpiece venue tickets a chance to see the big favourites.
Britain's Andy Murray was shifted out to the smaller, 11,400-seater bowl on Tuesday.
Later, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the third seed, was to take on American Taylor Dent.
Elswhere in the men's second round, Austrian 16th seed Jurgen Melzer came back from two sets down to win, while French 21st seed Gael Monfils and Spanish 22nd seed Feliciano Lopez made it through.
In the women's draw, French 11th seed Marion Bartoli, who lost to Venus Williams in the 2007 Wimbledon final, was the first person through to the third round after her Croatian opponent Petra Martic pulled out.
Israel's 13th seed Shahar Peer lost in three sets to Germany's Angelique Kerber.
Russia's Regina Kulikova knocked out Kazakhstani 30th seed Yaroslava Shvedova.
Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova, the 24th seed, made it into round two in a match carried over from Tuesday.