Adam Moulder blogs from Wimbledon as the Olympics Tennis event takes place featuring eight members of Team GB...
Day 1 - Well this is new
Here we are then! After last night's opening ceremony 'Olympic fever' has well and truly gripped GB and tennis is right at the heart of it as the first true day of sporting action saw all eight of the Team GB tennis players in action at Wimbledon.
Bright sunshine and blue skies greeted the revamped All England Lawn Tennis Club as the excited spectators poured into the grounds taking photos galore of Wimbledon with its pink signs, music blaring and colourful national outfits.
The atmosphere was something different to The Championships, there seemed to be a more boisterous, excited feel with friendly rivalry rife across fans from around the world. Not quite Davis Cup due to the large numbers of different countries represented but certainly not the quiet tradition that we’re accustomed to at SW19.
The positive, patriotic fans certainly had an impact on one British player with Elena Baltacha, the first to make it onto court, sweeping aside Hungary’s Agnes Szavay in some style on a sunny court 18. Both her parents are former Olympians and you could see how much it meant to the family when Bally became the first Brit into round two.
The British euphoria continued as, within a matter of minutes of each other, both Anne Keothavong and Andy & Jamie Murray won the opening sets of their matches, but both were unable to see it out and went down in three sets much to the disappointment of the home fans.
As the sun began to set the young British pair of Heather Watson & Laura Robson brightened the proceedings with a storming first set win over Germany’s Lisicki & Kerber as the vocal fans moved from Murray madness on Court 2 to cheer on ‘WatRob’ on court 12.
But they too were unable to keep up their level and went out of the event after a three set defeat. A straight sets defeat for Fleming & Hutchins on Court 17 meant GB ended the day with just the one win out of their five matches.
Nonetheless the fans seemed to have a great day and the spirits remained high around the ground. Join us again tomorrow as Andy Murray, Heather Watson and Laura Robson play singles and Baltacha & Keothavong go again in the doubles.
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