Wimbledon: Jodie Burrage crashes out with first-round defeat to Lesia Tsurenko

Plenty of brownie points and even some Percy Pigs for Jodie Burrage on Court 18. 

Unfortunately, after helping a stricken ball boy, the 23-year-old became the first British casualty of this year’s Championships. 

Twice, her first-round clash with Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko was held up. First by the rain and then by a medical emergency. Either side of the delays, Burrage was beaten in straight sets, labouring in a 6-2, 6-3 defeat.

But she exits with plaudits aplenty for her quick-thinking early in set two.

There was immediate concerns when a young ball boy had to be led to a chair and tended to by the match umpire.

A few minutes later, having received treatment from paramedics, he was led away from Court 18 in a wheelchair. By then, though, Burrage had done her bit – and some. With the boy pale and clearly struggling, the British No 5 ran to her bag.

She grabbed an energy gel and a drink from the fridge, handing them over to the boy and talking to him, too.

Soon, a member of the crowd passed on a packet of Percy Pigs and Burrage took them, too.

Eventually, the boy was helped from the court by the umpire and a line judge.

Unfortunately, there were no more heroics once play restarted. Burrage complained about the court in the first set, shouting ‘it’s so slow’ to her team.

She was broken twice before rain stopped play for around an hour. Then after another delay, two more breaks and a second first-round exit in as many years.

R