Reality check comes in Andy:On June 23rd Andy Murray had the following to say about the wrist injury he picked up when playing against Filippo Volandri in Hamburg last month.

"I've spoken to the doctor a few times about it and the physio that I've been working with. They are all pretty confident that I can't reinjure it, which is great."

Murray was installed in Centre Court for the first day's play against Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti. Just 24 hours later, this is what Murray had to say after pulling out of the championship.

"I didn't want to reinjure the wrist and make it a chronic injury. It could have lingered for four or five months if I'd taken a chance. It just wasn't worth it.

"The doctor at the LTA said I would have been mad to play at Wimbledon and he was right. I would have been mad."

That's the difference between optimism and realism.

Conspicuous by our absence

Colombia has four, Estonia has one. Belarus has eight, Tunisia has one, Porto Rico has one, India has six and Georgia has one. Uzbekistan has one, Iran has one, Cyprus has one and Luxembourg has two.

Ireland has none.

We are talking about the perennially embarrassing statistic for Irish tennis. Not one Irish player in men's or women's singles, men's or women's doubles or boys' or girls' singles has made it to the final draw for the championships.

Belfast's Claire Curran is in, of course, as a British player.

Tabloids get deucy-est story

The father of Maria Sharapova has apparently banned his daughter, "the Sexy Volley Dolly", from seeing the American hope and former US Open champion Andy Roddick.

The exclusive was picked up by a British Sunday tabloid and, true to form, they chose the perfect words to provide background to the contretemps that threatens to "rock" Wimbledon.

"Roddick, 24, se-deuced Maria, 20, in 2006," went the report, "when the sizzling smasher was at the peak of her form."

One in the Eye for Gimelstob

The first player to use Hawk-Eye in this year's championships was Justin Gimelstob, the American who lost to his compatriot Andy Roddick.

Under the new dispensation, each player is allowed to question three line calls per set.

When Gimelstob queried the call, he looked around Court One a little confused; he could not find the newly constructed screen that shows fans whether the ball is in or out.

For the record, the umpire's call was confirmed as good.