THE good news from Wimbledon this morning is that it’s stopped raining.
A washout may be forecast for Saturday, but the prospects look bright for an almost full day’s play today.
As you can see from the photo – taken at 8am – work began early today to get the outside courts ready for an 11am start.
Britain’s last two remaining hopes are in second round action.
First up on Court 3 is Kate O’Brien, who takes on Dutch teenager and No 31 seed Michaella Krajicek, the half-sister of 1996 men’s champion Richard.
Two hours later just across the way on Centre Court, Tim Henman resumes his match against Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
It was rained off yesterday after all of seven minutes.
That provided an extra bonus today for fans in the overnight queue for Centre Court tickets.

FORMER Wimbledon champion Serena Williams was described last week as “one hunk of a woman”.
The observation came from TV chat show host Jonathan Ross, who earns almost as much at the BBC as the top stars at SW19.
I once found myself standing beside Serena at the All England Club and can confirm Jonathan’s comment.
She has thighs bigger than Tim Henman’s chest.
Although always liable to make a sudden exit, as Serena said before the tournament: “I don’t think anyone that has to play me goes home and shouts with joy.”
On the day Tony Blair collected his P45, the American seventh seed had to fight hard to avoid a similar fate on Court One, which rather charmingly still has a roof.
Melbourne hope Alicia Molik had all the right moves, having once taken part in Australia’s version of Strictly Come Dancing.

THE queue to get in today began yesterday lunchtime.
By 8.30 this morning, there were 3,224 people waiting in line for the turnstiles to open.
Many wanted to see Tim Henman play Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
That match is scheduled last on Centre Court, with BBC TV bosses hoping for some primetime evening drama.
But with rain forecast in mid-afternoon, any major delay could see Henman back here tomorrow for the fourth day in a row.
Around 500 tickets are sold daily for each of Centre Court (aside from the last four days), No 1 and No 2 courts.
Once those 1,500 seats are gone, there are 6,000 tickets for admission to the grounds.
As it happens, the last Centre Court ticket today went to an American woman who arrived at 5.45am.

HAVING gone topless, perhaps Wimbledon should consider another break with tradition.
Cut out the boring bits and start all matches at five games all in the final set.
It certainly works for the Centre Court crowd.
The chap in front of me had been nursing a flask of tea during Amelie Mauresmo’s routine demolition of her first round opponent.
He perked up just a little when Sue Barker suddenly appeared at the back of the court for a TV link.
But there was no containing him in the Henman penalty shoot-out.
With our boy on the verge of victory, a raw excitement enveloped the arena as the five set drama reached its roaring finale.

THE sun is out at Wimbledon this morning after a late night, thanks to Tim Henman.
With the last of the crowds gone, it was time for the SW19 night shift to get to work.
A small army of staff are here overnight, making sure everything is ready for the next day’s play.
These photos were taken just before 10pm last night, as TV lights on the top of the Broadcast Centre blazed across the grounds.
It was a cold night for the queue outside, many looking forward to the added bonus of the Henman v Moya penalty shoot-out – second on Centre Court this afternoon.
Those who missed out on show court tickets yesterday may not have been best pleased to know there were empty unsold seats on Centre.

SOMEONE was smiling on Tim Henman as he walked out on to Centre Court to begin his 2007 Wimbledon campaign.
Exactly one minute later, the sun emerged for the first time on a soggy and chilly afternoon, where thoughts had turned to frostbite in SW19.
The opening cry of “C’mon Tim” wasn’t far behind. Just like old times, except somebody had stolen the roof.
First day verdict on the roofless Centre Court was generally negative.
Some thought the cathedral of tennis looked like a World War Two bomb crater.
One veteran spectator said simply: “It’s just wrong.”
Windswept, feeling smaller in size and altogether more ordinary, it’s certainly lost some of its mystery, allure and dignity.
But perhaps we’ll warm to the new surroundings.
A fixed roof will be back in place next year with the addition of a fully retractable cover by 2009.

ALL eyes were on the sky this morning, as the covers came off at Wimbledon.
The sun was shining at 5.30am – but fans queuing overnight outside the All England Club knew rain was forecast for later in the day.
After Murray Misery, everyone is trying to look on the bright side ahead of the scheduled start of play at noon.
Former champion Boris Becker was here early to check out the new roofless Centre Court.
His verdict? “It almost looks better.”
Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the All England Club, was also remaining upbeat.
“All we can do is plan for everything that is possible,” he said.

FOR Andy Murray, it is over before it even began.
The British number one has pulled out of Wimbledon just 24 hours before he was due to play his first round match on No 1 Court.
Andy, 20, took what has to be the right decision after an indoor practice session this afternoon.
Fans already queuing up outside the All England Club to see their hero in action will be disappointed.
But the Scot simply could not risk further damage to his wrist by competing against Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti.
“I have done everything possible to get ready for Wimbledon,” explained Andy.
“I have played practice sets the last few days but still cannot hit a topspin forehand properly.

DIDN’T I say we’d make it a date?
Some 50 weeks ago, I took my leave of Wimbledon after a magical fortnight.
Now, as promised, I’m back at the All England Club to do it all over again.
Some things don’t change.
The press centre – home from next week to over 800 journalists from around the world – looks pretty much as I left it.
I’ve got the same desk, just a few steps away from the main players’ interview room.
And the rain is pouring down, in between spells of hot sunshine.

ACTING can be a strange job.
Take Esther Hall, about to star in BBC1’s Manchester filmed and set True Dare Kiss.
Her CV includes a string of top roles in productions like Waking The Dead, Spooks, Queer As Folk and Sons And Lovers.
But the Stockport-raised actress is now best known by the public as Kris Marshall’s partner in the BT TV ads.
I caught up with Esther earlier this year when she was still filming the part of Alice (above) in Debbie Horsfield’s new drama serial.
Sitting in a TV trailer in a city centre car park, she told me about her latest involvement in the popular small screen commercials.
“I had to go to South Africa for two days when I was filming this – to ride a bike. Can you believe that?