The tie started on Monday afternoon, but was held over to Tuesday due to fading light with the scores level at two sets all.

It was then pushed back again to Wednesday because of rain with Coria serving for the match at 5-3 in the deciding set and at 30-30 on his own serve.

As no play was possible at all on Wednesday because of the rain, the never-ending tie went into a fourth day Thursday.

And it was Coria who finally put the match out of its agony in little over one minute as Moodie flapped two forehands long.

He will next play Germany's Florian Mayer who defeated Wayne Arthurs of Australia 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5), 7-6.

The French Open runner-up, a clay-court specialist, was playing at the All England club for the third time and he was seeking his first win in the tournament.

After his heart-break, five-set loss to compatriot Gaston Gaudio in Paris last month, Coria had been expected to head home to recharge his physical and emotional batteries.

But instead he made for the grass-court tournament at S'Hertogen-bosch in the Netherlands where, against the odds, he made it through to the final before losing to France's Michael Llodra.

American Andy Roddick finally reached the second round, two days after beginning his match against Taiwan's Yeu-Tzuoo Wang.

The second seed led 4-2 when play began at midday and his first point was an ace, which set the tone for the match.

The US Open champion overpowered qualifier Wang throughout to win the rain-interrupted contest 6-3 7-5 6-4.

Next up is lucky loser Alexander Peya of Austria.

British wildcard Mark Hilton has recorded the biggest win of his career, thrashing 2002 French Open champion Albert Costa of Spain 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 in the Wimbledon first round.

The world number 479 led 5-1 in the first set on Tuesday when rain halted the match and on the resumption he tore apart the Spanish clay specialist, now ranked 55.

In early women's action, French number four seed Amelie Mauresmo underlined her Wimbledon credentials with a one-sided 6-2, 6-3 first round win over Croatia's Jelena Kostanic.