Injured Llodra pulls out

France’s Michael Llodra today became the latest player to pull out of Wimbledon due to injury.

The 33-year-old made a strong start to his second-round match against Italian Andreas Seppi by winning the first three games, but the opening set turned around and went to Seppi by a 7-5 margin.

Llodra, feeling ill at ease, called for the trainer at that stage and decided he would go no further in the Court 14 match.

Seven players either abandoned singles matches yesterday or handed their opponents walkovers to the third round, a record for any day in a grand slam during the open era.

The All England Club last night defended its courts amid some criticism of them, with Maria Sharapova particularly vocal about their quality.

After slipping and sliding her way around Court Two, the Russian was seen saying the surface was “dangerous” by a lip reader – something she did not deny.

Chief executive Richard Lewis said he had “no reason” to think the courts were at the root of the problems, though, and his stance will have been music to the ears of new head groundsman Neil Stubley.

The former chef assumed the top job at Wimbledon following the retirement of Eddie Seaward after last year’s Championships and today told Live at Wimbledon that he was confident his work was up to the required standard.

Seaward said: “The weather is certainly challenging but because the championships are not until the end of June, we had May and June with good weather for the grass to strengthen and by the time we go to practice week last week, we were more than happy.

“We got lots of good feedback from the players. As far as we are concerned we can only control what we can control and on day one of the championships I was 100 per cent happy with the standard of the courts.

“This morning I am still 100 per cent happy with the standard and how they are playing. We have that in our control and are completely happy with the standard of courts we have delivered.”