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Bill Cosby has been freed from prison and returned home, less than two hours after Pennsylvania's highest court overturned his sexual assault conviction, saying he never should have faced charges after striking a non-prosecution deal with a previous district attorney more than 15 years ago.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued its 4-3 split decision on Wednesday after Cosby had served more than two years of a three- to 10-year sentence following his 2018 conviction.

The 83-year-old actor and comedian was released from a state prison in Pennsylvania just before 2.30pm (4.30am on Thursday AEST), a corrections department spokesperson said.

About an hour later, he arrived at his mansion in Elkins Park, a Philadelphia suburb, before making a brief appearance alongside his lawyers in front of the media.

A frail-looking Cosby smiled and nodded when asked if he was happy to be home, but he did not answer reporters' questions. Later, Cosby posted a statement to on Twitter, thanking his supporters and saying: "I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence."

Cosby is best known for his role as the lovable husband and father in the 1980s television comedy series The Cosby Show, earning him the nickname "America's Dad".

But his family-friendly reputation was shattered after dozens of women accused him of sexual assault over a period of decades. His conviction was widely seen as a watershed moment in the #MeToo movement that brought forth an array of allegations against powerful men in Hollywood and beyond.

Cosby was found guilty of drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, an employee at his alma mater Temple University, at his home in 2004. Constand's allegations were the only ones against Cosby that were not too old to allow for criminal charges.

The court's decision expressly barred prosecutors from retrying Cosby.

In a statement, Constand and her lawyers said they were disappointed in the ruling and concerned it could dissuade other victims from seeking justice.

"Once again, we remain grateful to those women who came forward to tell their stories," they said.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, who charged Cosby in 2015, noted that a jury found Cosby guilty and Wednesday's decision was not based on the facts of the case.

Reaction was swift, with many women involved in the #MeToo movement expressing horror at the decision.

"THIS is why women do not come forward," writer E Jean Carroll, who has accused former president Donald Trump of raping her in the 1990s, wrote on Twitter. Trump has denied her claim.

Lisa Bloom, a lawyer who represented some of Cosby's accusers, told CNN she was "absolutely disgusted and shocked".

But Phylicia Rashad, Cosby's co-star on The Cosby Show, celebrated the ruling for correcting "a miscarriage of justice".

The court's majority found a state prosecutor, Bruce Castor, made a deal with Cosby's lawyers in 2005 not to bring criminal charges after concluding he could not win a conviction.

As a result, Cosby was unable to avoid testifying as part of a civil lawsuit that Constand brought against him, since defendants can only refuse to testify when faced with criminal prosecution.

In a deposition, Cosby acknowledged giving women sedatives to facilitate sexual encounters, though he maintained they were consensual. He eventually paid Constand a multimillion-dollar settlement.

His admission, which a judge unsealed in 2015, helped form the basis for criminal charges that year.

The prosecution, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found, essentially amounted to reneging on Castor's earlier promise not to charge Cosby, violating his due process rights.

Castor made national headlines in February as a member of former President Donald Trump's legal defence team during Trump's impeachment trial in the US Senate.

In an interview, Castor said his deal with Cosby was the only way to ensure he would pay some sort of penalty via a civil lawsuit.

Cosby's first trial ended with a hung jury in 2017. He was found guilty at a second trial after the judge allowed prosecutors to call five prior accusers - four more than in the first trial.

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REACTION TO BILL COSBY'S RELEASE

- "Today's devastating decision to overturn the conviction of a man who caused so much harm, pain, and emotional trauma to so many women is a travesty and an injustice," TIME'S UP Foundation President Tina Tchen said in a statement. "It reminds us again of the struggle that the survivors of his predatory behaviour and actions have endured to make their voice's heard. The semblance of justice these women had in knowing Cosby was convicted has been completely erased with his release today."

- "What happened to Cosby should never happen to any American in any social strata...the constitution won today," former prosecutor Bruce Castor said in an interview. Castor made a deal with Cosby's lawyers in 2005 not to bring criminal charges and, as a result, he was unable to avoid testifying in a civil lawsuit brought against him by his accuser Andrea Constand.

- "Today's majority decision regarding Bill Cosby is not only disappointing but of concern in that it may discourage those who seek justice for sexual assault in the criminal justice system from reporting or participating in the prosecution of the assailant or may force a victim to choose between filing either a criminal or civil action," Andrea Constand said in a statement. Cosby was found guilty of drugging and molesting Constand in his home in 2004.

- "My heart especially goes out to those who bravely testified in both of his criminal cases," lawyer Gloria Allred, who represented many of the women who testified against Cosby, said in a statement. "This was an important fight for justice and even though the court overturned the conviction on technical grounds, it did not vindicate Bill Cosby's conduct and should not be interpreted as a statement or a finding that he did not engage in the acts of which he has been accused."

"What we saw today was justice - justice for all Americans," his spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, told reporters. "Mr Cosby's conviction being overturned is for the world and all Americans who have been treated unfairly by the judicial system."

- "FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!" actress Phylicia Rashad, best known for her role playing Cosby's wife in the television sitcom The Cosby Show, wrote on Twitter.

- "THIS is why women do not come forward," writer E Jean Carroll, who has accused former President Donald Trump of raping her decades ago, wrote on Twitter above a news story about Cosby's conviction being overturned. Trump denies the allegation.

- "We always thought that eventually this is where it would end up. It's a good day for the Cosby family," Brian Perry, one of Cosby's lawyers, told reporters.

- "We are deeply disappointed in today's ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and by the message this decision sends to the brave survivors who came forward to seek justice for what Bill Cosby did to them. This is not justice," Scott Berkowitz, president of RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), said in a statement.

- "I just really think it's a slap in the face to all of the victims," lawyer Lisa Bloom, who represented several of Cosby's accusers, told CNN. She said she was "absolutely disgusted and shocked" by the court decision and accused prosecutors of making "a sweetheart" deal with Cosby.

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A day after her sister Serena made a heart-breaking Wimbledon exit due to a first round injury, Venus Williams was knocked out of the singles competition.

Venus, aged 41 and playing in her 90th grand slam tournament, pushed Tunisian 21st seed Ons Jabeur hard in the opening set but eventually succumbed to a 7-5 6-0 defeat.

It is the first time at least one of the American sisters has failed to reach the third round at Wimbledon since Serena made her debut at the tournament in 1998.

Asked whether she wants to return in 2022, she said: "Of course. Who wouldn't want to be at Wimbledon? Lots of people want to be here.

"Yeah, when it's my last, I'll let you know. I'll give you a little whisper in your ear."

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena was forced to quit against Aliaksandra Sasnovich after slipping and injuring her leg, ending another attempt to equal Australian Margaret Court's 24 grand slam titles.

Venus Williams was playing in the tournament for the 23rd time. She has won the title five times, most recently in 2008.

She is out of the singles but her Wimbledon isn't over yet - she's also playing mixed doubles with Nick Kyrgios.

It was a dark day also for fourth seed Sofia Kenin, whose horrible 2021 continued as she crashed out of the second round.

The American, who won the Australian Open in 2020, was beaten 6-2 6-4 by compatriot Madison Brengle and later ruled herself out of the Tokyo Olympics.

"I couldn't take anyone with me, and I definitely wanted to have someone. I love the Olympics. It was a tough one (decision)," Kenin said.

Kenin only made it to the second round at this year's Australian Open and got to the fourth round in the French Open.

Canadian fifth seed Bianca Andreescu didn't even make it to the second round after a 6-2 6-1 walloping by French nemesis Alize Cornet.

But she burst out laughing when a spectacular mis-hit lob from Cornet clipped the corner of the baseline to condemn the her to yet another first-round exit at Wimbledon.

"At one point she just ... switched gears and she was on another level," said Andreescu.

"She played really well. She was taking control from the start."

Cornet, who next plays Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic, will hope her win gives her the springboard to get beyond the fourth round, a feat she has managed only once in 13 previous appearances.

Also through is second seed Aryna Sabalenka who showed exceptional grit to rally from a set down to beat British wildcard Katie Boulter and reach the third round of Wimbledon for the first time.

Sabalenka's best result at the grasscourt grand slam was a second-round showing on debut in 2017 as a qualifier but she bettered that with a 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory in a match lasting over two hours.

World No.5 Elina Svitolina also fought her way into the second round with a 6-3 2-6 6-3 victory over unseeded Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck.

with Reuters and AP

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He may have been the star of the show but Nick Kyrgios was the first to salute an outstanding group of his compatriots as Wimbledon tipped its hat to four Australian winners in the space of a couple of glorious hours.

Following big victories for Jordan Thompson, James Duckworth and Ajla Tomljanovic on Wednesday, Kyrgios couldn't help smiling: "We've got so much depth, I feel when I retire, I'm leaving tennis in good hands!

"Definitely (a special afternoon). Led by Ash Barty, I strongly believe we've got such good depth in Australian tennis right now."

If Kyrgios's victory over Ugo Humbert was sparkling, it didn't outshine the remarkable effort of Thompson, who outstayed Norway's rising star Casper Ruud in another five-set classic, prevailing 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-3) 2-6 2-6 6-2 in just over four hours.

'Thommo' was joined in the second round by his fellow Sydneysider Duckworth, who made it past the first round for the first time in six years with his emphatic 6-4 6-4 6-1 victory over Moldovan Radu Albot.

Tomljanovic, the Australian No.2, also joined the party, overcoming a slip and a fall on match point against Belgian qualifier Greet Minnen before getting to her feet and soon finishing off a 6-2 7-6 (7-5) win which sees her join world No.1 Barty in the second round.

Those outside court successes came alongside a few disappointments, particularly for the ever-patient Chris O'Connell, who turned out for a third day of his seemingly endless rain-interrupted marathon with Gael Monfils before going down 6-4 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 4-6.

That he'd taken the 13th seed right down to the wire, though, was a considerable performance.

Thompson had been in line for a second round tie against his doubles partner Alexei Popyrin, but instead he'll be meeting a rejuvenated Kei Nishikori, who had a bit too much nous for the Sydney youngster, winning 6-4 6-4 6-4.

Two other Australian women were casualties, too, with Shellharbour qualifier Ellen Perez soundly beaten 6-2 6-2 by Clara Burel, the French former world junior No.1 who'd already ended Queenslander Storm Sanders' hopes in the qualifiers.

Perth's lucky loser Astra Sharma, meanwhile, was left dejected, saying she'd "choked" when throwing away two winning positions against Czech Kristyna Pliskova before losing 3-6 6-4 6-4.

Yet Kyrgios's enthusiasm for the performances was infectious. "Ducks (Duckworth), Thommo ... that's Thommo's first match he's won at Wimbledon. It's incredible to see such success. Marc Polmans is winning rounds. It's sick.

"And Bolty (Alex Bolt, who'd won on Tuesday) ... unbelievable performance ... Yeah, Aussie tennis is in good hands at the moment, I think."

A man good enough on grass to have beaten Andy Murray before, the moustachioed Thompson had strangely never got past the first round in four attempts but the 27-year-old's experience helped him repel the challenge of Ruud, one of the tour's brightest young risers.

Thompson admitted he had been frustrated with the slow pace of the courts but talked himself into preparing for a one-set shootout after the Norwegian had come back from two sets all.

"He's a great player but he hasn't had a lot of grass court matches," said Thompson.

"I re-set mentally and I was very proud of myself."

Duckworth set himself up for a tough second round with former semi-finalist Sam Querrey after he'd broken Albot's serve six times while Tomljanovic will again have to up her game a notch when she faces France's Alize Cornet.

AUSTRALIANS IN SINGLES ACTION ON THURSDAY'S DAY FOUR AT WIMBLEDON (PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING):

Men's singles:

Alex Bolt v 29-Cameron Norrie (GBR)

James Duckworth v Sam Querrey (USA)

Jordan Thompson v Kei Nishikori (JPN)

Marc Polmans v Cristian Garin (CHI)

Nick Kyrgios v Gianluca Mager (ITA)

Women's singles

1-Ash Barty v Anna Blinkova (RUS)

Ajla Tomljanovic v Alize Cornet (Fra)

© AAP 2021