LONDON, 27 June 2003 — US second seed Andre Agassi showed his class in motoring through to the third round of the men’s singles at Wimbledon yesterday with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 win over Germany’s Lars Burgsmuller.

The 1992 champion booked a meeting with 27th seed and fellow thirty something Younes El Aynaoui of Morocco, who saw off Chile’s Nicolas Massu 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4. As Agassi began to settle into a grassy groove with two matches behind him defending women’s champion Serena Williams likewise advanced, drilling Belgian Els Callens 6-4, 6-4 in 65 min.

French and Australian Open titlist Jennifer Capriati, the US eighth seed, meanwhile swatted Swiss youngster Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian 6-2, 6-1. Agassi said he was satisfied his game is coming to the boil.

Joining Agassi in the last 32 was the sole British survivor, 10th seed Tim Henman, who whipped French qualifier Michael Llodra 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 on a sun-bathed center court to set up a clash with another qualifier, Sweden’s Robin Soderling.

While world number one Agassi has done it all before, winning eight Slam crowns and tasting success in all four of the Majors, Henman has to shoulder the burden of 67 years of history.

Not since Fred Perry lifted the trophy in 1936 has a British man won the event.

Henman said he had to forget about four lost semifinals - especially the 2001 loss at the hands of Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia.

Soderling, an 18-year-old ranked 155 in the world, ousted Belgian qualifier Gilles Elseneer 2-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4, 6-3.

Last year’s beaten finalist, Argentine sixth seed David Nalbandian, was delighted after overcoming Brazil’s Andre Sa 6-2, 7-5, 6-2.

“I think I feel better this year. I know I feel great and I know how to continue like this to beat anybody,” said the 21-year-old.

Back among the women, French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, the Belgian third seed, overcame a slow start to move past Italy’s Flavia Pennetta 7-6 (7/2), 6-1 and book a meeting with Australian Alicia Molik. Henin-Hardenne’s potential last eight rival Capriati, a semifinalist aged just 15 on her 1991 debut and a quarterfinalist last year, says she feels reedy for anyone after beating Mikaelian on the seeds’ “graveyard court” of court two.

Spain’s 1994 champion Conchita Martinez proved she is still a force to be reckoned with at the age of 31 as she beat Barbara Schett of Austria 6-2, 6-4.

Martinez now goes up against Russian tenth seed Anastasia Myskina, who defeated compatriot Lina Krasnoroutskaya 6-1, 6-4.

Canadian-born Frenchwoman Mary Pierce beat Greek 14th seed Eleni Daniilidou 6-4, 6-1 and now plays US 24th seed Lisa Raymond, who blitzed Marlene Weingartner of Germany 6-3, 6-0.

“I’m happy to be here, happy to be healthy. Imagine what it’s like not being able to go to work for two years,” said Pierce, who having won the Australian Open in 1995 and the French Open in 2000 saw her career threatened by shoulder tendonitis and a chronic spine inflammation.