It was a comfortable enough opening win for the women’s defending champion but Serena Williams continues to look ill at ease as she goes about her business at Wimbledon.

Having been tetchy in her pre-tournament press conference she was tough on herself throughout the 6-2,6-4 victory over Macedonia’s Amra Sadikovic even, at times, after winning points, as if she was telling herself she should not be losing any at all.

Afterwards she seemed to admit she could be feeling more energised, but no more than that.

“I would be lying if I said I feel fresh, but I don't feel fatigue. I don't think I feel fresh, but I feel real hungry, super motivated, extremely ready to do the best,” said Williams.

It has been natural to link her demeanour to here current Grand Slam record, stuck on the brink of matching Steffi Graf’s record haul of 22 in the open era as she has been since winning here last year, but she is dismissive of that too.

“I think more or less about winning Australia, I think about winning the French Open. Didn't happen. I think about winning Wimbledon. I don't necessarily think about winning 22,” claimed Williams.

As to her overall state of mind this 34-year-old who has confronted what she said at the time had been a life threatening illness five years ago, reckons she is consequently able to cope with anything tennis has to throw at her, adding: “Mentally I've been further down than anyone can be. Well, maybe not anyone, but I've been pretty low. There's nothing that's not mentally too hard for me.”

Perhaps so, but there was apparently enough to induce from Lindsay Davenport, the former champion who lost twice in finals to Williams’ sister Venus, the observation that she saw an unusual level of anxiety and stress in her. Even that expert analysis was refuted, though.

“No. I mean, for a first round, no,” was the response to that specific observation.

“I felt I was where I needed to be. I needed to be pumped for the match. I needed to be intense. I needed to show a lot and feel a lot on the court.

“That's typically how I play. I needed to do that.”

Purely in tennis terms there was little to worry about since, against an awkward opponent who managed to break her serve early in the second set, she ultimately had all the answers, rattling through the match in less than an hour and a quarter to set up what looks likely to be another fairly routine encounter against fellow American Christina McHale after she saw off wildcard Daniela Hantuchova in straight sets.

With no major shocks in the women’s event to date Jo Konta, the first British woman to be seeded since 1984, looked to be on course to join the rest of the top 16 in the next round when rain brought play to an end on the uncovered court after she had taken the opening set with surprising ease against Puerto Rican Monica Puig and had the early edge in the second, leading 6-1,6-2.

Heather Watson, who has done well her before, did not even get on court against Germany’s Annika Beck, but home interest is guaranteed in the second round after Tara Moore took full advantage of having been granted a wildcard to claim her first win at this tournament in some style as the world no.227 saw off Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck, a woman ranked exactly100 places above her, 6-3,6-2.

“It’s amazing, I mean who would have thought before the grass court season that I’d be where I am right now. I’m really grateful to the All England Club for giving me this opportunity,” she said, having offered considerable justification of giving British players such opportunities.

With the British tennis establishment having taken considerable criticism, not least from the Murrays, for having failed to capitalise fully on this golden age for the sport, she suggested that there is evidence at last of that beginning to change.

“I think a lot of the British players have put in a lot of hard work,” said Moore.

“I’ve definitely seen bits of it from everyone. Everyone has their own unique way of pushing themselves forward to the next level. We push each other on. We’re supportive of each other.

“As a nation we’re definitely improving. I definitely think tennis is on the up.”