Serena believes in title chances

Serena Williams was installed as the new Wimbledon favourite after powering into the fourth round and declared: "I wouldn't bet against me."

The bookmakers had 2004 champion Maria Sharapova as their choice to prevail at the All England Club - until Williams disposed of Maria Kirilenko 6-3 6-2.

Williams said: "That was the best I've played since I came back, so it's good. I wouldn't bet against me."

He added: "I'm still alive and it feels good. I'm hoping to be around and planning to be around a lot longer. I'm alive and I don't take any moment for granted."

Williams is returning from the longest absence of her career - 49 weeks - and the American hinted that the foot injury, haematoma and pulmonary embolism had taken a toll on her psyche.

"I was a little more consistent and I played my game more. I wasn't as tight and nervous and uptight as I have been," she said.

"I was able to relax more. I had a discussion with myself, my dad and my friends. I was telling them I couldn't relax.

"They told me I had to relax. They said it doesn't matter what happens, you've done so much. And I was just really able to relax.

"I was always thinking I can get hurt again. But you must let those thoughts go or anything could happen.

"I'd been thinking I could slip and I wasn't thinking that at all. That was a big difference."