Article #66132

• Last year’s quarter-finalist beaten in first round

• Queen’s champion, Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, also out

Of the 18 Americans who began the men’s singles – the most of any nation – perhaps the most excitement surrounded Ben Shelton. A quarter-finalist at Wimbledon last year, the left-hander won his first grass-court title in Stuttgart earlier in June and, with one of the best serves in the game, seems made for the surface.

On Tuesday the No 4 seed duly lost in the first round, beaten 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9) by Otto Virtanen of Finland, the world No 140 appearing in just his second Wimbledon. Shelton led by two sets to one, had chances to break in the fifth and then a match point at 9-8 in the tiebreak, only to dump a forehand in the net. Two points later the match was over, a scorching Shelton forehand landing agonisingly wide.