( CNN ) -- Defending champion Petra Kvitova recovered from an early wobble to win 6-4 6-4 in her Wimbledon first-round match against Uzbekistan 's Akgul Amanmuradova . Czech fourth seed Kvitova , who beat Maria Sharapova in last year 's final , fought back from 4-1 down in the first set against her 96th-ranked opponent on Tuesday . She proceeded to win the next seven games in succession , clinching the second set after a short rain delay . It was a gallant effort from Amanmuradova , who had lost all of her four previous first-round matches at the grass-court grand slam . `` I was nervous at the start . On grass you never know what to expect from me , '' Kvitova said after the win . Women 's tennis battles to shunt the grunters . The world No . 4 will next face either Italy 's Karin Knapp or Britain 's Elena Baltacha for a place in the last 32 . She was joined in the second round by four-time champion Serena Williams , after the American sixth seed beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-2 6-4 . Williams avoided the early exit suffered by her older sister Venus , who lost in the first round on Monday for the first time since her debut in 1997 . Belarus ' No . 2 seed Victoria Azarenka also made it safely through to the second round . The Australian Open champion defeated USA 's Irina Falconi 6-1 6-4 to set up a meeting against Switzerland 's Romina Oprandi . Ninth seed Marion Bartoli of France , who was runner-up in the tournament five years ago , came through 6-2 6-4 against Australia 's Casey Dellacqua . She will play Croatian Mirjana Lucic next . Nadal powers into men 's second round . Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic will not feature in round two after suffering a surprise defeat . The 19th seed was comprehensively beaten 6-3 6-0 by Dutch debutant Kiki Bertens , and the 25-year-old has now fallen at the first hurdle for the fourth time in seven attempts in London . The 20-year-old Bertens , playing only her second grand slam after losing in the first round at the French Open , will next face Roland Garros quarterfinalist Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan . British teenager Laura Robson gave the home fans hope of a further upset before going down 2-6 6-4 6-4 to Italy 's No . 24 seed Francesca Schiavone . The 2009 quarterfinalist earned a second-round meeting with Czech No . 148 Kristyna Pliskova , who lost in her debut appearance last year but this time upset Slovenia 's 46th-ranked Polona Hercog 6-2 6-2 . Russian 12th seed Vera Zvonareva beat Germany 's Mona Barthel 2-6 7-6 6-4 , and the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up will next play Spanish debutant Silvia Soler-Espinosa .
Petra Kvitova starts Wimbledon defense with 6-4 6-4 win over Akgul Amanmuradova . Serena Williams beats Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-2 6-4 . No . 2 seed Victoria Azarenka overcomes the USA 's Irina Falconi 6-1 6-4 . No . 19 seed Lucie Safarova beaten 6-3 6-0 by Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands .