Serena and Venus Williams both advance at Wimbledon

Maybe it’s just flat-out mad. She also has an autoimmune disease, Sjögren’s syndrome, that sometimes makes her exhausted and weak.

“I really had no option but to play well so far”.

Do you think Heather Watson stands any chance of beating Serena Williams?

Serena, coming off a 6-4, 6-1 win over qualifier Margarita Gasparyan in the first round, gave the answer anyone who knows her might expect about a possible match against Venus in the fourth round. That’s three straight majors plus two rounds at Wimbledon.

“Serena’s a great player, she’s an wonderful athlete and a great champion”.

As for Serena’s legendary regal presence in the locker room, Watson said: “I always find I don’t see her that much”.

Yet watch Venus compete these days and it’s easy to dream.

And she would likely prefer this match against a legend than a softer one in another part of the draw.

When the Williams sisters played doubles at the All England Club past year, they stopped after three games in the second round, after Serena served four consecutive double-faults.

Venus, at 35, has been out of the Top 10 for years and continues to play despite battling the immune disorder Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Friday’s clash with Williams will be last on Centre Court and the Briton intends to use the home crowd to maximum advantage. There was a gentle breeze.

‘One of the nicest guys’.

Agility, resilience and retrieval are the strengths Watson has traditionally relied on in the past but Andy Murray urged his compatriot to be courageous against Williams.

Watson claimed her first win over a top ten player when she beat Agnieskza Radwanska earlier this year but an in-form Williams on the manicured lawns of her beloved All England Club is a very different prospect.

What would have concerned her though is her misfiring serves. “She has big celebrity status”. And, of course, she can’t help giving a quick glance over at Tatjana Maria – her German opponent. Williams held for 2-0 with an ace down the tee. The third seed has been bumped to Court No1 for his second-round match against Dutchman Robin Haase today, in favour of contests involving Sabine Lisicki, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. But after that she fired right back, breaking twice in succession before serving out for victory.

The 37-year-old Haas on Monday became the oldest man to win a match at Wimbledon since Jimmy Connors in 1991. “When you have confidence, you have everything”.

Sharapova trains in Florida and said she’s used to hotter temperatures.

“I was hurting too much”, said the man whose exit will be a huge blow back in his Japanese homeland. She has had to adjust her diet and her training because of Sjögren’s, and because of her age. She has not been remotely stretched yet.

As Giraldo goes on to face either German teenager Alexander Zverev or American wildcard Denis Kudla for a third round spot, Nishikori was left contemplating another injury setback in his career.

Having prevailed at the Australian and French Open already this year, the 33-year-old is determined to add the Wimbledon and USA Open crowns to her collection, becoming the first woman to complete the quartet of titles since Steffi Graf in 1988.

Sharapova, 28, hit 23 winners as she booked her place in the third round.