SERENA STRUGGLES AGAIN Serena Williams played another poor set yesterday before prevailing over Italian Mara Santangelo, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Williams said she did not practice before Wimbledon because of a stress fracture in her ankle, and in the first set it showed against Santangelo, ranked no. 124. By the third set, Williams was in command. Despite playing poorly for a second straight match, she said she will be tough to beat. “I think I have the best chances of people left in the draw. I’m probably the most mentally tough person out here. I feel as if I have nothing to lose and only things to gain and I want to win this title really bad.”

…AS DOES VENUS Venus Williams continued along a bumpy road, too, though a smoother one than her sister’s. The American defeated Australian Nicole Pratt 7-5, 6-3 and came dangerously close to losing the first set after blowing a 4-1 lead. Williams had to stave off triple break point at 4-4 before pulling away. One good sign: Williams approached the net 29 times. The more she does that, the better her chances. “For me I think it’s good to move forward because I have the penetrating shots, a ton of reach at the net,” she said.

LIGHTS OUT FOR RODDICK No, Andy Roddick did not lose his second round match to Italy’s Daniele Bracciali. He just ran out of time. Roddick was leading two sets to one, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (3) when play was suspended just before 9 p.m. The two will continue today after Lleyton Hewitt and Justin Gimelstob open the day on Centre Court.

PIERCE SURVIVES Surprise French Open finalist Mary Pierce gutted out a 4-6, 7-6 (7), 9-7 victory over the Ukraine’s Julia Vakulenko in two hours and 25 minutes. Pierce, who lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne in a lopsided French Open final, will face a far more difficult opponent in the third round: Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and Montenegro. The 17-year-old reached the quarterfinals at her first French Open and could last well into the second week here. Yesterday, she defeated Stephanie Foretz of France 6-4, 6-3.

FRENCH TEEN LOOKING STRONG Richard Gasquet, the 19-year-old Frenchman who defeated Roger Federer in Monte Carlo this year, looked strong yesterday in his second-round victory over hard-serving Gilles Elseneer of Belgium. Gasquet, who won 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-2, next meets Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, who eliminated Rafael Nadal. Gasquet likes the grass – last week he won his first tour event in Nottingham – but does not consider himself a Wimbledon contender. “It’s too difficult for me now,” he said. “But I think I can go far.”