WIMBLEDON -- Katie Boulter became the latest Brit to get knocked out in the opening round of Wimbledon on Tuesday, losing to Italian Tyra Caterina Grant.
Grant, who is 112 places below Boulter in the world rankings at 172, dominated with her first serve and never allowed Boulter to find any rhythm as she cantered to a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Boulter went into the match on Court 3 as a huge crowd favourite but the home fans were quickly silenced by the relentless Grant, who knew she was chasing the best win of her career.
With Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu withdrawing before the tournament and the exits of Cameron Norrie and Harriet Dart , among several others, on Monday, Boulter was seen as the best chance for a British player to go on a run in the singles tournament.
Local hopes were saved however by Katie Swan, who won her first-round match against Irina-Camelia Begu, 6-4, 6-4.
Swan, who has been plagued by injury in recent years, said she was "very emotional" and cried on a massage table when she found out she had been handed a wild card this year.
Her story continued with a dominant victory on Tuesday as she reached the second round for just the second time.
As talk of the 27-year-old's chances of winning rumbled around The All England Club, a big crowd gathered at Court 16.
Swan was overwhelmed at the end of the match, falling to her knees as local fans erupted with delight.
Later, Arthur Fery and Jacob Fearnley both came through tough battles to become the second and third British players to progress.
Fery recovered after dropping the first set to beat Damir Džumhur, while Fearnley lost the first two sets 6-3, 6-4 to American Alex Michelsen.
Fearnley, 24, almost became the latest British casualty at The Championships but rallied to win three-straight sets 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in a three-and-a-half hour arm wrestle and book his spot on the second round.