By Philip James
British interest in the mixed doubles was ended today as the team of Heather Watson and Jonny Marray were knocked out as was Colin Fleming
Alize Lim/Jeremy Chardy def Heather Watson/Jonathan Marray 6-4, 6-7(8), 14-12
Heather Watson suffered her third first-round defeat of the week as she and Jonny Marray lost an agonising defeat, missing several match points in the process.
It was a cross channel battle, pitting the all-British pair against the French combo of Jeremy Chardy and Alize Lim.
Lim is only 22 and ranked outside the top 250 in both singles and doubles but Chardy is a top singles player, currently ranked 27th in the world and 61st in doubles.
Watson is just inside the top 50 in both singles and doubles, while current Wimbledon Men’s Doubles champion Marray is ranked 18th in doubles.
There were plenty of breaks of serve in the first set, the teams sharing two a piece before the French pair won a third and deciding break to clinch the set.
Watson and Murray led by a break in the second before the French team fought back, breaking twice in succession to serve for the set.
The Brits were not done though and broke themselves to force a tie-break which they edged 10-8.
The ensuing Champions Tie-break was a rollercoaster affair, with mini-breaks going this way and that.
Watson and Marray eked out a lead and had multiple match points including some on their own serve but could not take any.
They also saved numerous match points but eventually the French pair took the decider 14-12 and with it the match in just under 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Natalie Grandin/Filip Polasek def Kirsten Flipkins/Colin Fleming 6-4, 7-5
Scotland’s Colin Fleming, who partnered Marray in the men’s doubles, also suffered first round defeat today with his Belgian partner Kirsten Flipkins.
One break in each set was enough for Natalie Grandin and Filip Polasek to take the match 6-4, 7-5 in an hour and six minutes.