Algarve tennis ace Rui Machado failed to make the transition from clay to grass and was beaten 6-4, 4-6, 2-6 by Robert Farah in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying at Roehampton.
The world No99 was joined on the sidelines by the rapidly improving Joao Sousa, leaving Frederico Gil as the only Portuguese representative at the All England Championships.
Meanwhile, Andy Murray staked his claim to the Wimbledon crown by defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in the rain-delayed Queens Club final.
German Philipp Kohlschreiber took the equivalent title in Halle and while both men are a force to be reckoned with on grass it is hard to visualise anything other than another Federer-Nadal showdown in a fortnight’s time.
