Number 11 seed Williams beat Gorges, seeded 18, in two sets 6-3 6-4 to set up a fourth-round meeting with Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner looked in good form with her serving particularly solid as she powered past Gorges and into the second week at the All England Club for a 15th time in her career.

It was a repeat of last year's semi-final, which Williams also won before losing to Angelique Kerber in the final.

Williams, 37, will return to action later on Saturday when she teams up with local hero Andy Murray in their eagerly-awaited mixed doubles match.

Elsewhere on Saturday, women’s number one seed Ashleigh Barty of Australia destroyed Britain’s Harriet Dart 6-1 6-1 to move on to a fourth-round meeting with unseeded Alison Riske of the US.