LONDON, 21 June 2005 — Banishing early stormclouds, Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt thundered through to the second round of Wimbledon yesterday.

The afternoon sun which bathed south-west London after a damp start to the opening day also heralded victories for Lindsay Davenport, Amelie Mauresmo and Kim Clijsters on the All England Club’s lush green lawns.

Champion Federer raced into the second round with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Paul-Henri Mathieu.

“Definitely a good start to the tournament,” said Federer who is seeking a third straight Wimbledon title.

“There’s always something special when you come back and try to defend the Wimbledon championship.

“I’m definitely very happy to have done that ... very important first step.”

Federer, who clattered 18 aces past his French opponent, was joined in the second round by the man he considers a main rival for his crown, 2002 champion Hewitt.

The Australian baseliner wasted no time sweeping aside Belgium’s Christophe Rochus 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in 92 minutes.

“It was a good hit out without wasting too much energy,” was Hewitt’s verdict. The world No. 2 is seeded to meet Federer in the semifinals.

Briton Greg Rusedski powered his way into the second round with a workmanlike 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Spaniard Alberto Martin.

Women’s top seed Lindsay Davenport thrashed Russia’s Alina Jidkova 6-0, 6-2 and third-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo beat Hungary’s Melinda Czink 6-3, 6-2.

Ninth seed Anastasia Myskina had a scare before finally scrambling over the first hurdle.

Russia’s first women’s Grand Slam winner when she triumphed at the French Open last year, Myskina was pressed all the way before beating Czech qualifier Katerina Bohmova 5-7, 7-6, 6-4.

Myskina trailed 4-1 in the second set and 3-0 in the third before winning both to avert a second successive first round loss at a grand slam tournament.

Last month she became the first defending champion to lose in the opening round at Roland Garros when she lost to Spain’s Maria Sanchez Lorenzo.

Fellow Russian Marat Safin wasted little time beating Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

The fifth seed and Australian Open champion looked comfortable on a surface he admits is not his favorite against an opponent known for his serve-volley game on grass.

Teenager Sania Mirza became the first Indian woman to reach the second round of Wimbledon with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 8-6 victory over Japan’s Akiko Morigami.

The 18-year-old’s win set up an intriguing second-round showdown with US Open champion and fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, who thrashed Britain’s Rebecca Llewellyn 6-0, 6-1.

Belgian Kim Clijsters also beat a Briton, ousting wildcard Katie O’Brien 6-2, 6-3.

Former world No. 1 Clijsters arrived at the All England Club strongly fancied after capturing the Eastbourne title on Saturday.

French Open runner-up Mariano Puerta hardly had time to knock the clay from his shoes before skidding out of the first round 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 to German Lars Burgsmueller.

In four visits to south-west London, the Argentine is yet to win a match.