It has been a British bloodbath at Wimbledon this year. The mood was set on Sunday evening with Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal due to injury, and got worse thereafter. Jack Draper was also forced to pull out before a ball was hit in SW19, also citing injury, and then those who did get on the court were unable to produce a single positive result.
Historical low for British tennis
Of the 10 British players who did manage to raise a racquet, all 10 lost as British tennis suffered its worst day at Wimbledon this century. Only bad light prevented Jack Pinnington Jones from adding to that tally on Monday, but No28 seed Brandon Nakashima saw out a three-set lead on Tuesday. Across 31 completed sets on Monday, British players won just five.
Cameron Norrie, Britain’s leading light in the men’s draw after Draper’s last-minute withdrawal, was shocked by American qualifier Michael Zheng on Court No2. Katie Boulter made it 11 on Tuesday, lasting a little over an hour on Court No3 against 18-year-old qualifier Tyra Caterina Grant.
A glimmer of hope
But, finally, 15 minutes later, over on Court 16, a glimmer of hope as Katie Swan beat Irina-Camelia Begu in straight sets, needing five match points to see off her Romanian opponent. Normal service resumed a few hours later when Harry Wendelken went down in four sets to Valentin Royer, despite winning the first.
Who is left?
It leaves four British players left standing in the singles draw as the second round continues on Thursday: Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, Jan Choinski, and Katie Swan.
Who has been knocked out?
The following British players have been eliminated: Max Basing, Katie Boulter, Alicia Dudeney, Felix Gill, Billy Harris, Fran Jones, Hannah Klugman, Cameron Norrie, Jack Pinnington Jones, Toby Samuel, Mika Stojsavljevic, Oliver Tarvet, Harry Wendelken, Mimi Xu, Emma Raducanu (withdrew), and Jack Draper (withdrew).
