Rain rules as British pair made to wait

RAIN washed out the all-British showdown between Marcus Willis and Liam Broady in the Wimbledon qualifiers.

Willis, 26, who memorably faced Roger Federer on Centre Court in the second round at the All England Club last year, was due to face compatriot and friend Broady in the penultimate qualifying round at Roehampton.

Broady, 23, is also looking for a return to Wimbledon having been beaten by Andy Murray in the first round last year.

Willis is the British No.9 and ranked 374 in the world, 10 places higher than Broady, the national No.10.

The homegrown pair will have to try again today, with the winner then facing either Illya Marchenko, of Ukraine, or German veteran Benjamin Becker for a place in the main draw.

Of the Brits who did manage to play, 18-year-old Katie Swan, of Bristol, was beaten 6-3 5-7 6-0 by Uzbekistan’s Nigina Abduraimova.

Hong Kong-born Tara Moore, 24, also tumbled out 7-5 6-2 to American Irina Falconi.

Novak Djokovic’s preparations for Wimbledon were also undermined when heavy rain caused play at Eastbourne to be cancelled.

The Serb, 30, had chosen to compete there for the first time in his pursuit of some momentum and confidence ahead of the coming Grand Slam, but was left frustrated almost as soon as his firstround match began.

He took the opening game against Canada’s Vasek Pospisil and was leading 30-15 in the second when the rain started.

Andy Murray pulled out of his scheduled Wimbledon warm-up match at the Hurlingham Club yesterday because of a sore hip.

The decision was described as a precaution, with the world No.1 still planning to contest a second match on Friday.

It is not the preparation Murray would have wanted as he prepares to defend his Wimbledon title.

His season has been punctuated with health problems, including shingles, an elbow injury and two bouts of flu.