An idyllic start, with only one fault: the loss of the media favourite

The failure of Kournikova to last more than 97 minutes into the championships fails to dampen a buoyant atmosphere

The Wimbledon championships, in the year of the Queen's golden jubilee, started yesterday in an idyllic atmosphere of sunshine, a large and eager crowd and that rarest of things, high hopes of British success at tennis.

But the good cheer was promptly punctured by the acrimonious departure of the media's favourite, Anna Kournikova. Perhaps it was no surprise that the 21-year-old Russian pin-up, who has tended to make more headlines off the court than on it, lasted only an hour and 37 minutes before losing to her compatriot Tatiana Panova.

But true to form, Kournikova's contribution had barely begun when she stepped off court. Asked at a press conference if her confidence was low following her defeat, she got up to walk out and had to be persuaded to return.

There were few tears for her demise. Her attitude, said former doubles champion Pam Shriver, was "horrible".

"If you speak to people in the locker room, they'll tell you that's the real Anna Kournikova," she added.

Former British player John Lloyd was more constructive, advising her to "grow up".

For her part, Ms Kournikova explained: "There's been a lot of changes in the last six months, just me as a person growing up, just the whole thing.

"I mean, me as a person and me thinking more about things, me thinking about, you know, just everything, the purpose of everything, just becoming my own person more, you know, obviously learning things."

Daniela Hantuchova ­ Kournikova's biggest rival for the attention of the cameras ­ started with an easy win over the Spaniard, Cristina Torrens Valero. But "The Legs From Slovakia" was circumspect about becoming the "sexiest woman in tennis". Hantuchova, 19, said: "I am just trying to focus on tennis, because, you know, that is like, you know, the most important thing. But, you know, people like to talk about these things. But I'm glad that they can talk about my tennis, too. I mean she [Kournikova] is a totally different person."

The championships started badly for Britain with the news of another fractured second metatarsal of the left foot. The last victim was, of course, David Beckham. Yesterday, the one to suffer was James Auckland. "James who?" would be unfair. He is ranked 404th in the world, but the 22-year-old from Norwich had made his way up from 512th, and once reached the semi-final of a tournament in Uzbekistan. " It's absolutely devastating, I've made a lot of sacrifices in the last year to improve my rating," he said. "To have it snatched away at the last moment is very cruel."

Of the British players who did appear at Wimbledon yesterday, Arvind Parmar, Martin Lee, Jamie Delgado, Julie Pullin and Lucie Ahl all lost. However, last year's surprise hit, Barry Cowan, won.

As did Greg Rusedski, but his straight-sets victory over Austria's Jurgen Melzer was overshadowed by a war of words with his former coach, Pat Cash, who claimed still to be owed money by the British No 2. Rusedski said the claims were rubbish. The main British hope for the men's title, Tim Henman, the bookmakers' favourite at 4-1, does not start until today when he takes on Frenchman Jean-Francois Bachelot. Pat Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic, who would have been contenders, are injured. Other favourites Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Russia's Marat Safin are in the other half of the draw.

Henman, say the tennis cognoscenti, will never have a better chance to become the first British men's champion since Fred Perry in 1936. Others, however, strike a cautionary note, pointing to the dashed hopes of the England football team. However, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club could not be blamed for being a little relieved with the end of competition from football.

Standing outside the Café Perogla, one official said: "There were genuine worries about what would have happened if England had continued to do well in the World Cup."

For the British tennis fans in the sunshine, there was nothing but optimism. Susan Chandler, 22, from Finchley, north London, nibbled strawberries and shook her head vehemently. "Look at the World Cup, look at South Korea and Japan and how far they got. Everything's possible. No one thought that Barry Cowan would win today." Her friend, Amy De Lisle, a 19-year-old student wore a T-shirt etched with a naked Henman with a tennis bag covering his nether region. "We have had Henmania for so long, he must do it this year. Ginny Wade won it in the silver jubilee year, after all. If he doesn't win it this year, we may have to start wearing a T-shirt with the bag taken away."