Simona Halep took time to find her best before ultimately avoiding a second-round shock at Wimbledon in comfortable fashion with a straight-sets win over Zheng Saisai.

Having finally clinched her first grand slam at the French Open, Halep was handed a draw that would have seen her face favourite Petra Kvitova in the fourth round, but the two-time champion bowed out in the first round to Aliksandra Sasnovich.

It briefly looked as if Halep was also on course for an early exit on Thursday when Zheng was handed the opportunity to serve for the first set on number one court.

But she was unable to claim the lead, with the world number one promptly reversing the tide, edging the opener and then racing away in the second set to claim a 7-5 6-0 success and set up a third-round clash with Hsieh Su-wei.

Despite seeing a net cord help her save a break point, Zheng lost her opening service game, but responded emphatically by breaking back to love.

A forehand pass from a narrow angle and some impressive reactions at the net then put Zheng up 40-0 on the Halep serve in the seventh game, and when the Romanian thumped a forehand into the net the Chinese had the initiative.

Halep pumped both fists after a blistering cross-court forehand brought up a break-back point, yet Zheng saved that thanks in part to a delicate drop shot, and some more strong play at the net allowed her to hold and move 5-3 up, though she would not win another game.

She subsequently spurned her chance to serve it out, netting with a backhand as Halep levelled before upping the ante, Zheng looking fatigued when she drifted a shot long to surrender the set.

Further evidence of Zheng being a fading force in the match came early in the second as she mishit a drop shot, Halep taking the second of the two break points that error provided as a precise forehand into the corner put her in control.

And Halep did not look back from there, completing a run of nine successive games to seal victory.

 

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Halep [1] bt Zheng 7-5 6-0

WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Halep – 20/19
Zheng –  11/15

ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Halep – 1/2
Zheng –  0/0

BREAK POINTS WON
Halep – 6/11
Zheng – 2/4

FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE
Halep – 67
Zheng – 72

PERCENTAGE OF POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE
Halep – 75/44
Zheng – 43/44

TOTAL POINTS
Halep – 64
Zheng – 42