Aryna Sabalenka was given a tougher workout than she would have wanted before the top seed dismantled Czech Marie Bouzkova 7-6(4), 6-4 to advance to the third round of Wimbledon on Wednesday.
Australian Open champion Madison Keys too advanced, easing past Olga Danilovic 6-4, 6-2.
As the sun played hide-and-seek with the grey clouds that hovered over Centre Court, Sabalenka kept knocking on the door in the opening set, but was shut out by Bouzkova each time and dropped serve with a double fault in the 11th game.
A frustrated Sabalenka let out a scream when she failed to convert a breakpoint in the next game, but the 27-year-old quickly composed herself to force a tiebreak with a backhand winner on her next opportunity.
"That was a tough moment in the match," Sabalenka said.
"I was just trying to put the ball back on that side and then hope that I'd be able to break her back, because until that point, my returns weren't great enough to break her serve and I'm really glad everything clicked.
"I felt a bit better in that moment and I think that's why I was able to win the tiebreak and get the win in straight sets."
The three-times Grand Slam champion from Belarus, who has a golden opportunity to win her first Wimbledon title with several seeds losing early, led the tiebreak after a couple of errors from Bouzkova and wrapped up the set with a forehand winner.
An untimely error at the net by Bouzkova gifted Sabalenka the break in the fifth game of the second set and there was no looking back from there with the twice semi-finalist holding firm to close out the win.
Sabalenka said she was focused on avoiding the trapdoor after second seed Coco Gauff, number three Jessica Pegula, fifth seed Zheng Qinwen and number nine Paula Badosa were all sent packing in the first round.
"Honestly, it's very sad to see so many top players losing in the first round, but you're better off focusing on yourself and staying away from the results," Sabalenka added.
"Of course, you're going to know the overall picture, but it's better just to take it one step at a time and do your best every time you're out here competing.
"I hope there are no more upsets in this tournament."
Up next for Sabalenka is either local favourite Emma Raducanu or 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova.
Keys stays on course for rare double
Keys is on the hunt for further Grand Slam glory at the All England Club and could become the first woman since the great Serena Williams to win those two majors in the same season.
Yet whereas Williams' ferocious weapons were clear for all to see, Keys is more the model of consistency.
She has a big forehand and serve, but a potent part of her arsenal is being able to step up when it matters most.
The 37th-ranked Danilovic put up a brave fight, which included saving five break points in one game in the second set, but Keys' consistency meant she never looked like causing an upset.
On paper, the numbers were fairly even. The winners' count was 19-15 in Keys' favour while Danilovic made marginally more unforced errors - but Keys broke her opponent four times and lost her own serve once.
After a nervy opener when she beat Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse in three sets, this was far more comfortable for the American - and with rain returning to Wimbledon after scorching temperatures on the first two days, Keys was much happier.
"I definitely felt a little more comfortable today, it's the cloudy rainy England we know and love so I felt a little more normal," she said.
"I knew that she could play really great tennis, I really just wanted to get a lead and run with it."
Next up for Keys is a match against Germany's Laura Siegmund, who has already earned her best result at Wimbledon by reaching the third round.
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