HOPE springs eternal for Britain's six women after most received favourable ties in the first round.
Elena Baltacha, who has been struggling with a neck injury and has recently lost her place as Britain's No 1 to Anne Keothavong, was looking on the bright side after being paired against Karin Knapp of Italy, a 25-year-old ranked eight places below her at 109 in the world. They have never played each other and Knapp has been in the main draw just once, in 2007, when she lost to Nicole Vaidisova.
The match is likely to be scheduled for Tuesday, which will aid Baltacha's attempts to recover from the injury which prevented her from taking on fellow Briton Laura Robson at Eastbourne last week.
"It's not a bad draw at all," said Baltacha, who could face defending champion Petra Kvitova if she gets through the first round. "For me it's about making sure I play the kind of tennis I know I can and if I do that I'm confident I can win."
Robson also faces an Italian opponent, playing Francesca Schiavone, a former French Open champion, in a match almost certain to be moved to one of the show courts. Schiavone has won just two matches at Wimbledon since prevailing at Roland Garros in 2010 and the 18-year-old Robson, who will also overtake Baltacha in the rankings tomorrow, may fancy her chances.
Elsewhere in the draw, Keothavong – who has risen to 77 in the world – takes on Laura Pous-Tio of Spain, another woman who has never won a match in the main draw. Heather Watson has a chance against Iveta Benesova, the world No 53 from the Czech Republic, while Stockport's Naomi Broady meets another Spaniard, the veteran Lourdes Dominguez-Lino.
The only British entrant with reason to feel she has got the rough end of the stick is debutant Johanna Konta. Konta, who was born in Sydney, was recently granted British citizenship and is ranked No 349. She was handed a tough opener against Christina McHale, the fast-improving American who is No 28 seed and embarrassed former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki at Eastbourne.
Stewart Fisher
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