Agassi through in straight sets

World number one Andre Agassi remained on course for a third Wimbledon final after overcoming gritty German Davis Cup player Lars Burgsmuller in a fine match on Court One.

The veteran American produced an accomplished display to gain a routine 6-3 7-6 6-3 victory and ensure there would be no repeat of last year’s second-round exit.

Agassi confidently marched through to a last-32 clash with Younes El Aynaoui, the 27th seed from Morocco, who beat Nicolas Massu, of Chile, 7-6 3-6 7-6 6-4.

However, Burgsmuller, with only one previous win at the All England Club behind him, belied his world ranking of 88 to make the 33-year-old Agassi toil in the sun.

The German was far from overawed on his Court One debut but he was always struggling to contain his illustrious opponent after dropping his serve in the first game, something he repeated in the third set, and, try as he might, he could not get the better of the wily former champion.

Agassi lifted when his serve was threatened in the first opening set and bounced back when Burgsmuller achieved his only break at the start of the second set.

The second seed mixed his game up superbly and revelled in the baseline rallies, which were meat and drink to the vastly-experienced American.

He raced through the first set in 34 minutes, fought back to take the second set on a tie break and always had the edge in the decider.