By Martyn Herman
LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Britain's chastening start to Wimbledon continued on Tuesday with Katie Boulter crumbling to defeat against teenaged Italian Grand Slam debutant Tyra Caterina Grant but there was finally some home cheer as four players survived to round two.
Nineteen British players started in the first round after the injury withdrawals of Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper but 10 lost on Monday and another five perished on Tuesday.
With 30th-seeded Raducanu pulling out with
a stress fracture, Boulter was Britain's best hope in the women's draw having two WTA grass-court titles to her name and an impressive victory against former Wimbledon champion and this year's second seed Elena Rybakina this month at Queen's Club.
Facing an 18-year-old qualifier playing her first Grand Slam main draw match meant Boulter was a clear favourite on Court Three, especially as prior to the qualifying tournament Grant had never played a match on a grass court.
But Boulter produced a nervy, ragged display and even the chants of "Let's go Katie let's go" fizzled out as she suffered a 6-4 6-2 defeat, the first time she had suffered a first-round loss at her home Grand Slam since 2017.
SWAN GETS A HOME WIN
Boulter was soon joined through the exit door by Jack Pinnington Jones and Harry Wendelken as fears of a total wipe-out increased, following a winless Monday which was the nation's worst day at Wimbledon this century.
But as the sun came out, things improved.
There was finally a home victory to cheer as world number 196 Katie Swan beat Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4 6-4 in front of a joyous crowd on Court 16.
Swan, 27, was once highly rated having won the Australian Open junior title but quit the Tour with a chronic back injury three years ago and took up coaching.
"It's been a rough few years for me, getting back to a point where I can play a Slam again," Swan said after her first Wimbledon victory for eight years, also against Begu.
"It's kind of full circle to play her again and win today."
After British number one Cameron Norrie's defeat on Monday by American qualifier Michael Zheng, it was left to some of his lesser-known compatriots to fly the flag.
FERRY WIN OVERSHADOWED
Arthur Fery, one of 12 British wildcards, beat Bosnian opponent Damir Dzumhur 3-6 6-2 6-2 6-1, although his win was overshadowed by him being called dishonest by his opponent.
In the fourth game of the second set Dzumhur thought his serve at 15-30 had caught the tape but no let was called and Fery won the point.
"I felt like he stopped, nobody called let. I didn't ask him to replay but just to be honest, because I would do that. Obviously we are not all the same," the 34-year-old said.
Fery, ranked 114th, played down the incident but said it got the "spark ignited" for his victory charge.
Jacob Fearnley hit back from two sets down to beat American Alex Michelsen while Jan Choinski easily beat Czech Vit Kopriva but there was heartbreak for wildcard Toby Samuel who pushed 15th-seeded Czech Jakub Mensik to the limit only to lose in a fifth-set tiebreak.
While British interest in the singles will last until Thursday, it has been a worrying start for a nation that despite the feats of twice Wimbledon champion and former world number one Andy Murray and Raducanu's shock 2021 U.S. Open title, still struggles to punch its weight.
"For British players in general, I think it's a case-by-case. Honestly, I'm not sure (what the explanation is)," Boulter said. "I'm here just trying to look after myself and what I'm trying to do. I know what I need to do to improve."
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Alison Williams and Ken Ferris)
