Baltacha dumped out before 1pm and Konta, Murray and Keothavong follow her out of SW19 exit on disastrous day for Brits

By IVAN SPECK FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 08:14 EST, 24 June 2013 | Updated: 17:39 EST, 24 June 2013

Four British girls out and not a single set won between them on the opening day of Wimbledon.

There are reasons to be hopeful for the future of the women’s game in Britain, but Monday's showing can be legitimately viewed as a step backwards to a dismal past.

The jugs of Pimm’s had barely been touched, the sandwiches still unopened and Roger Federer had yet to stride out on to Centre Court by the time Elena Baltacha fell 6-4, 6-1 to Italy’s Flavia Pennetta.

Stretch too far: Elena Baltacha lost 6-4, 6--1 to Flavia Pennetta on Court 3

Afternoon tea still hadn’t begun when Sam Murray and Johanna Konta departed, too, in straight-set defeats which did little to quell the unease surrounding the All England Club’s wildcard policy.

Murray was swept aside 6-3, 6-4 by Italy’s world No 93 Camila Giorgi while Konta lost 6-2, 7-5 to Serbia’s 16th seed and former world No 1 Jelena Jankovic.Murray and Konta are ranked 235 and 137, respectively.

They collected £23,500 each, a lump sum of which the naysayers insist they are not deserving.

And when, in the Centre Court gloaming, Anne Keothavong  conceded the final eight games of her match to slip to a miserable 6-4, 6-0 defeat by Garbine Muguruza of Spain, the unwanted whitewash was complete.

Quick: Former world No 10 Pennetta was too hot for Baltacha to handle as the Brit lost before 1pm on Monday

British wildcard entries at least  stir hope among the patriots, but fulfilment is another matter. Baltacha’s is another case entirely.

Had it not been for ankle surgery in October, she would probably have qualified for the main draw as of right. Pennetta has had her own  operation — on her right wrist — but she has been as high as No 10 and it showed.

A baseliner with attitude, befitting her southern Italian roots, she  simply kept the ball in court longer than her opponent.

Straight sets: Anne Keothavong lost 6-4 6-0 to Spain's Garbine Muguruza

Baltacha did manage moments of ferocious hitting which knocked Pennetta backwards, but knowing that she needed to strive for the lines continually, she too often lifted the ball beyond them and negated any advantage she had built up.

Having dropped her opening  service game of the match, Baltacha spent the remainder of the first set scrapping away and attempting to restore parity. She failed narrowly, but then dropped serve again at  the beginning of the second set and  Pennetta won at a canter.

Exit: Samantha Murray was beaten 6-3, 6-4 by Camila Giorgi on Court 10

Baltacha said: ‘I didn’t play my best today while she played a very solid match.

‘It’s only my ninth tournament back and I just wasn’t consistent enough to get more out of what I was trying to do tactically against her.’

Keothavong, too, deserved her wildcard, having been as high as No 48  in the world. Her future appears  limited, however, not least because of inflammation in both heels which requires the maximum dosage of anti-inflammatories in order for her to play at all.

Down and out: Johanna Konta was beaten in straight sets by Jelena Jankovic

Exit: Konta put up a strong fight in the second set but eventually fell to a 6-2, 7-5 loss to the Serb (below)