:00:08. > :00:13.Welcome back and good news at the Aegon Championships, the covers are
:00:14. > :00:18.off, the players are on court and we have Steve Johnson versus Richard
:00:19. > :00:24.Gasquet part three. They have only been on court for a few minutes and
:00:25. > :00:27.completed only two games. Gasquet leading bite too- zero, a
:00:28. > :00:33.frustrating start to the Championships with rain and showers
:00:34. > :00:36.coming and with the prospect of more to come. We are hopeful we will get
:00:37. > :00:38.at least half are now of play and get this tournament underway. We are
:00:39. > :01:03.looking forward to the matches. At least we have some tennis which
:01:04. > :01:08.is something to smile about. Andy and John are with me, not the start
:01:09. > :01:14.everyone would have wanted and not the forecast because tomorrow and
:01:15. > :01:22.Wednesday look the same. They have had eight minutes so far.
:01:23. > :01:30.It is two hours of play before people don't get a refund but the
:01:31. > :01:35.pins sales are going well and concessions selling umbrellas are
:01:36. > :01:47.doing Rodwell. So all is not lost. But we need to get going. This is
:01:48. > :01:51.not what the players came here for. They wanted to have one single smart
:01:52. > :01:56.but it looks like they will certainly back up. Let's look at the
:01:57. > :02:04.draw. A wonderful field we have this year.
:02:05. > :02:10.A tough one for Andy Murray at the top with Mahut. He has just come in
:02:11. > :02:17.from Wallingford tournament -- winning the tournament. He is on top
:02:18. > :02:21.form and that is a tough first round. Kyle Edmund versus Gilles
:02:22. > :02:32.Simon is interesting. Dimitrov always fascinating to
:02:33. > :02:37.watch, hopefully this will be the start of a run for him because he
:02:38. > :02:42.has had a bad time at the moment. His levels have not been the way
:02:43. > :02:58.they should be and maybe this will kick-start his grass court season.
:02:59. > :03:04.Kevin Anderson wanted to play the qualifying because he wanted matches
:03:05. > :03:12.on grass. Sometimes your best theories go wrong. Nick Kyrgios
:03:13. > :03:17.against Milos Raonic. Nick Kyrgios, my wife just cannot stop watching
:03:18. > :03:25.the TV when he's on. I agree with her. I think he is box office. Some
:03:26. > :03:30.of the things he says, OK, I am sure he will regret some of them but he
:03:31. > :03:35.has got that real wow factor. What is it about the bad boys that you
:03:36. > :03:44.girls go for? LAUGHTER He is so watchable. If he gets
:03:45. > :03:48.someone and may be... I know Lleyton Hewitt is very much involved with
:03:49. > :03:52.him but if he can really nurture him and channel that energy in the right
:03:53. > :03:57.direction, he could be a future world number one. I think John
:03:58. > :04:05.McEnroe was waiting for a phone call, he loves Nick Kyrgios and
:04:06. > :04:18.thinks he is great. You have got the gas go in the draw, I have forgotten
:04:19. > :04:23.the seed he is playing. -- the gas -- Verdasco. Now this draw has been
:04:24. > :04:26.compressed, these awkward first round matches, and a lot of the
:04:27. > :04:30.players would have been happy when they saw these draws. We have had
:04:31. > :04:36.eight minutes, let's hope for a lot more. Johnson and Gasquet about to
:04:37. > :04:42.get going. Andrew Cotter and Peter Fleming, we will hand over to.
:04:43. > :04:52.COMMENTATOR: we will resume with Steve Johnson serving, he is a break
:04:53. > :05:00.down. Gasquet breaking in the second game.
:05:01. > :05:32.Steve Johnson already losing a point on his serve in this third game.
:05:33. > :05:42.Well played, certainly the longest rally in this very young match.
:05:43. > :05:48.Clever, wrong footing shot from Gasquet because when the grass is as
:05:49. > :05:51.wet and slippery as it is, and will be for the next few days really, not
:05:52. > :05:56.easy to backtrack. That was like Agassi. Redirected it.
:05:57. > :06:39.To perfection. Two chances for Gasquet, number four
:06:40. > :07:20.seed. The sun is shining but some dark
:07:21. > :07:26.clouds building up against to the west but they are supposed to head
:07:27. > :07:29.just north of us. Gasquet, a reminder he got to the
:07:30. > :07:33.quarterfinals, best run of the French Open. He took the first set
:07:34. > :07:40.against Andy Murray but then crumbles. He is clearly in good form
:07:41. > :07:50.and he loves the grass as well. Exactly right, has a great grass
:07:51. > :07:54.court record. One of the few tournaments in pre-Wimbledon
:07:55. > :08:00.offence. Did he reached the semifinal or quarterfinal of
:08:01. > :08:05.Wimbledon? Semifinal. It was 11-9 in the first set against Wawrinka and
:08:06. > :08:09.then he lost in straight sets. Close ones to Djokovic as well in the
:08:10. > :08:22.semifinals. He could certainly get going there.
:08:23. > :08:32.Hard work rewarded for Johnson. That was a mental error from Gasquet
:08:33. > :08:37.because when playing against a guy with a weakness, and let's face it,
:08:38. > :08:43.Steve Johnson two handed backhand is not one of the stronger shots on
:08:44. > :08:55.tour, you have to try and expose it. Of course, first game, you are up,
:08:56. > :09:10.first point rather, you are up two breaks, not necessarily a crucial...
:09:11. > :09:13.Great movement from Gasquet, wonderful all-round game, his
:09:14. > :09:27.backhand is something to behold. Grass suits him well because on a
:09:28. > :09:31.clay court, his first serve is not as imposing as a lot of other
:09:32. > :09:32.players but on grass, its kids through anti-changes spins and
:09:33. > :09:54.placement. -- and he changes. A stuttering start at Queen 's but
:09:55. > :09:58.an impressive start from Gasquet. As it is from everyone, it is difficult
:09:59. > :10:02.to return serve on this surface so if Gasquet get a weak reply, that is
:10:03. > :10:08.what he is going to do with the first ball. He is at his best when
:10:09. > :10:23.attacking. Steve Johnson, we will talk more about him in a moment.
:10:24. > :10:32.Steve Johnson a big, powerful game and a great serve.
:10:33. > :10:37.You would think he would be good on the grass court but I don't think he
:10:38. > :11:11.has figured it out. That is in large part because, as
:11:12. > :11:12.plush and lush as this grass court is, you do sometimes get bad
:11:13. > :11:26.bounces. It is difficult to serve and stay
:11:27. > :11:31.back. If you are not really quick mover and Steve Johnson is a very
:11:32. > :11:38.big guy, he is tall, and changing directions on a slippery surface is
:11:39. > :11:44.not easy. UMPIRE: Wrote Mr Gasquet is challenging the call on the
:11:45. > :11:49.service line. First call to Hawk-Eye on the day.
:11:50. > :12:17.Gasquet will be nonplussed. Here we are. After all that, it was good and
:12:18. > :12:21.some good serving from Steve Johnson. Got himself out of a hole
:12:22. > :12:51.at 0- 30. UMPIRE: Mr Gasquet has two
:12:52. > :12:55.challenges remaining. The kick-serve on this surface doesn't grab as well
:12:56. > :13:06.as it would on a hard court or clay court.
:13:07. > :13:43.The body language of these players could not be more disparate. Gasquet
:13:44. > :14:08.looking totally at ease. Richard Gasquet is very used to this
:14:09. > :14:20.environment, this is his seventh appearance here.
:14:21. > :14:25.APPLAUSE Everything about Steve Johnson at
:14:26. > :14:30.the moment spells anxiety. He is just unsure of himself. He
:14:31. > :14:43.needs to hold serve b serve a couple of times just to settle in and say,
:14:44. > :15:09."Now I can get started in earnest." UMPIRE: Advantage Johnson.
:15:10. > :15:21.Something for Steve Johnson to cling on to. A puff of the cheeks. He
:15:22. > :15:26.needed that badly, Steve Johnson. He does look a bit tight, a bit
:15:27. > :15:39.uncertain. The world number 39, the American. He is from California. He
:15:40. > :15:43.is 26 now. He had his first appearance here. They have met
:15:44. > :15:47.before these two actually and it was in Steve Johnson's breakthrough
:15:48. > :15:51.major in 2012 at the US Open, he reached the third round and lost to
:15:52. > :15:54.Gasquet in straight sets. But again, it is grass. It is something
:15:55. > :15:58.entirely different and when you're feeling the grass for the first time
:15:59. > :16:02.perhaps, coming here, you might be looking ahead to Wimbledon, but this
:16:03. > :16:07.is a different way of playing the game. Yes. Especially on a green
:16:08. > :16:12.grass court. You know, a slippery one. One with still lots of moisture
:16:13. > :16:20.in the surface. It's difficult to stand up and for a guy who grew up
:16:21. > :16:26.on a hard court as John John did in California, it adds a variable that
:16:27. > :16:31.is very uncomfortablement -- uncomfortable. He needs to keep
:16:32. > :16:35.the rallies as short as possible. A big serve. And try and capitalise
:16:36. > :16:42.on it, keeping Gasquet on the defensive. The Frenchman, he is not
:16:43. > :16:48.a bad defender, but he would far rather be attacking.
:16:49. > :16:53.Yes, once you get into a body of a rally, Gasquet looks the far more
:16:54. > :16:57.comfortable. Still with that double break advantage, Gasquet. Serving
:16:58. > :17:16.for one. Beautifully done. Beautiful
:17:17. > :17:27.defensive work by Gasquet. APPLAUSE
:17:28. > :17:30.Stone dead. His goal was just defend the net. Well, he achieved that and
:17:31. > :17:45.then some. APPLAUSE Actually a good example
:17:46. > :17:49.there in that replay, you were saying how slippy the courts are,
:17:50. > :17:54.you can slide a long, long way on an early season grass court. It has
:17:55. > :17:57.taken a lot of moisture today as well. It is OK when it is a
:17:58. > :18:14.controlled slide as that was. The problems come when you think
:18:15. > :18:19.you're going to grip and you don't and your legs fly out from under
:18:20. > :18:33.you. A lot of people get injured in that situation.
:18:34. > :18:57.A couple of misfires in the Gasquet backhand.
:18:58. > :20:04.APPLAUSE Gasquet hits that shot as well or better than anyone.
:20:05. > :20:13.Gasquet again asking the question. It has been a bit messy in this
:20:14. > :20:17.game, the Frenchman. Wide.
:20:18. > :20:22.UMPIRE: The call stands. Advantage Johnson. Mr Gasquet has one
:20:23. > :20:33.challenge remaining. A chance for the American to get one of the
:20:34. > :20:39.breaks back. We didn't see that coming. Johnson takes it, but
:20:40. > :20:41.Gasquet's mistakes rather giving it to him.
:20:42. > :20:57.APPLAUSE It is games like that that can turn
:20:58. > :21:29.comfortable sets into dog fights. It is get ago bit darker again said
:21:30. > :22:04.the voice of doom and gloom! He certainly has got more
:22:05. > :22:08.confidence, now Johnson. He is finding a rhythm. He did just need
:22:09. > :22:20.that one game on the board and then the break and now flying in his own
:22:21. > :22:24.serve. A different match now. Gasquet still with that advantage,
:22:25. > :22:40.but the momentum has shifted. A few too many mistakes from Gasquet
:22:41. > :22:45.of late and Johnson looking tidier. We were talking about the surface. I
:22:46. > :22:50.suppose we were used to seeing players sliding on clay. The ground
:22:51. > :22:58.man down the like to see it, but that's how far you can go. A greasy
:22:59. > :23:04.surface. He would have probably gone another 20 yards or so if the net
:23:05. > :23:11.hadn't been in the way! That's something to get used to as
:23:12. > :23:15.you know all too well, Peter, there is a real art and it's an art and
:23:16. > :23:20.just having the confidence, I suppose, the feeling of the grass
:23:21. > :23:23.underneath your feet? Exactly right. It usually takes years, especially
:23:24. > :23:29.kids who have the opportunity to play on grass as kids, get a feel
:23:30. > :23:35.for it and understand it that much easier as they become pros. Johnson
:23:36. > :23:41.hasn't had that luxury so therefore, I'm sure that he is less happy
:23:42. > :23:45.sliding around this surface than he would be even on a clay court. This
:23:46. > :23:53.is probably not his favourite place to be either. He came through the
:23:54. > :23:57.college system A lot of young American players do that. He won the
:23:58. > :23:59.individual title a couple of times. A different way of doing things
:24:00. > :24:19.rather than turning pro early. Gasquet was a younger prodigy and
:24:20. > :24:21.has been on tour for many a long year now and he turns 30 this
:24:22. > :24:50.weekend. That's just what we were talking
:24:51. > :24:58.about and it can be very unpleasant, just trying to change direction so
:24:59. > :25:07.quickly. And he is expecting that foot to hold and it doesn't. He was
:25:08. > :25:09.lucky. He was lucky that he was able to hold himself upright for long
:25:10. > :25:36.enough. At the end of the day, the challenge
:25:37. > :25:43.for Steve Johnson is to how figure out a way to impose himself with the
:25:44. > :25:45.two-hander, with the backhand. If not, he is reliant on Gasquet
:25:46. > :26:40.errors. The killer shot was this one. A
:26:41. > :26:45.short angle that opened up the court. Johnson did really well to
:26:46. > :26:55.Parry it back, but was too far out of position.
:26:56. > :27:03.Steve Johnson did find a good rhythm with his serve in the last couple of
:27:04. > :27:06.service games. He needs it once more. He is serving to stay in this
:27:07. > :28:11.first set. We are starting to see why he was
:28:12. > :28:24.briefly, just inside the top 30 and he is just outside now.
:28:25. > :28:39.Bamboozled and Johnson holds to love. It is still rather gloomy out
:28:40. > :28:44.there, but mercifully dry. What a stop-start beginning we have had to
:28:45. > :28:48.this Championship. And Gasquet more than anyone in the
:28:49. > :28:57.crowd here would like to get this first set under the belt before any
:28:58. > :29:01.further rain comes because if he had to come out 5-4 cold, and just a
:29:02. > :29:07.little bit snerveous would make the job that much more difficult. --
:29:08. > :29:12.nervous. A reminder of the matches we're supposed to be having on
:29:13. > :29:19.Centre Court coming up. This is optimistic, but next it would be Dan
:29:20. > :29:31.Evans, he has been given a wildcard against another Frenchman. This is a
:29:32. > :29:37.practised skill. He is very quick at that. He has
:29:38. > :29:47.done a few of those in his time. After Evans, it will be Dimitrov
:29:48. > :29:53.against Tipsarevic and Lopez against Cilic, but no chance of Lopez
:29:54. > :30:02.against Cilic taking place on this court today.
:30:03. > :30:25.That defence was worth it. All For the skidding effort.
:30:26. > :31:00.Really impressive bit of keeping balance by Johnson.
:31:01. > :31:10.A little cry of "Come on" from Steve Johnson. One of the few times he has
:31:11. > :31:18.chosen to attack with the sliced backhand, that went when up the line
:31:19. > :31:39.and set up this forehand. He is giving himself every chance here.
:31:40. > :31:47.Frustration, that was there for him as well, just spooned back by
:31:48. > :31:51.Gasquet. That is the problem, every time Johnson sees a forehand, he
:31:52. > :31:53.becomes anxious and thinks, I have to do something with this ball, even
:31:54. > :33:34.when the shot is not really on. A spectacular sliding defensive
:33:35. > :33:53.forehand from Johnson, a squash shot.
:33:54. > :33:59.He might have jarred himself hitting it. UMPIRE: Mr Gasquet is
:34:00. > :34:03.challenging the call on the right centred service line. RHYTHMIC
:34:04. > :34:09.CLAPPING He is so keen to get this done,
:34:10. > :34:41.there have been a few spots of rain. Possibly Gasquet putting a little
:34:42. > :34:47.too much importance on this game. Finishing this game before any
:34:48. > :34:50.impending rain because those ground strokes were very tentative and they
:34:51. > :34:55.landed short, allowing Johnson to take control. Some jackets going on,
:34:56. > :35:25.for the less hardy souls. What a comeback by Steve Johnson.
:35:26. > :35:26.Two breaks down, back to level, Gasquet in a world of frustration
:35:27. > :35:40.right now. Really interesting how, when this
:35:41. > :35:47.match started, Gasquet was the guy in form, with the grass court
:35:48. > :35:50.pedigree. Johnson really appeared nervous, he was not comfortable on
:35:51. > :35:52.this court surface and it almost appears as though the roles have
:35:53. > :35:58.reversed a little. Fortune favours Steve Johnson on
:35:59. > :36:25.this occasion. Gasquet chuntering away to Sebastian
:36:26. > :36:56.Grosjean. That is good grass, good grass. That
:36:57. > :37:02.is also good grass. The umpire just coming and having a feel. There is
:37:03. > :37:07.moisture on the surface but he said it is fine and to play on.
:37:08. > :37:52.Right on the cusp now. But they play on.
:37:53. > :38:05.Big decisions for umpires, the umbrellas are going up, I think this
:38:06. > :38:10.might be nearing a conclusion. And of course, Gasquet right now... Yes,
:38:11. > :38:17.will be happy to play on, Johnson wants no part of it. It is getting
:38:18. > :38:20.heavier and they have to be very quickly to get the covers on because
:38:21. > :38:25.they have had some rain on the surface so it is getting damper and
:38:26. > :38:29.damper for the resumption, whenever that comes. It really is chucking it
:38:30. > :38:35.down and Richard Gasquet thinks it should have been done and dusted in
:38:36. > :38:40.this set. It should have been. But 5-5, Steve Johnson will be feeling a
:38:41. > :38:45.whole lot better about the state of affairs but the number four seed,
:38:46. > :38:49.Gasquet, will scuttle off with the rest. Johnson leading the way and
:38:50. > :38:53.they will resume at 5-5. Johnson serve. Once more, we had for a
:38:54. > :39:08.break. And of course, Gasquet will have to
:39:09. > :39:12.go into the locker room and try to remember the frame of mind he
:39:13. > :39:20.brought out initially. Because he was really the master of his own...
:39:21. > :39:27.Not demise but down fall in that set. Improvising with the cushions,
:39:28. > :39:36.everybody getting soaked. Going off with the players, we will return
:39:37. > :39:39.when they do. STUDIO: At least we got some play but people are
:39:40. > :39:44.scurrying for cover, this is a very heavy shower and more disappointment
:39:45. > :39:49.for the tournament and indeed the tournament organisers. Let's hear
:39:50. > :39:58.from Steven Farrah who is with John Inverdale. We have not got John
:39:59. > :40:01.Inverdale I am afraid. He was standing by with the tournament
:40:02. > :40:06.director but sadly, we cannot hear from him but we will try to get John
:40:07. > :40:10.to give us a report of what the tournament organisers are going to
:40:11. > :40:15.try and do because they are a long way behind, having not completed the
:40:16. > :40:19.qualifying. They have not got one match played here on the opening day
:40:20. > :40:25.of the tournament and the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday not
:40:26. > :40:30.looking much better at all. John, Andrew, this is going to be a
:40:31. > :40:35.difficult week for everybody. It is and when you have your opportunities
:40:36. > :40:36.when it is like this, Richard Gasquet, up a break right from the
:40:37. > :40:48.word go. He goes 0- 30 down and then climbs
:40:49. > :40:53.back into the game and narrowly loses it and then has to go off, you
:40:54. > :41:00.will be livid with himself. He has missed an opportunity. At well done
:41:01. > :41:04.to the American for getting back in. These people obviously didn't have
:41:05. > :41:09.the same app that you had on your phone. Sue Barker was 100% accurate
:41:10. > :41:14.and I wondered how she knew that and she said, rain in one-minute! We
:41:15. > :41:20.will see if it is accurate for the rest of the week! It says it is
:41:21. > :41:28.going to stop in 35 minutes but then start 20 minutes after that. I have
:41:29. > :41:33.had this app for a while now, but we also saw how slippery it was out
:41:34. > :41:37.there. As Gaelic like you may have injured himself slightly. They all
:41:38. > :41:45.slipping and not moving berry well there. It is difficult. It is always
:41:46. > :41:49.difficult for a tour director because they have lots of spectators
:41:50. > :41:53.out there. But you have to think of the players on grass. These poor
:41:54. > :41:59.players must be thinking, I have just come from lousy weather in
:42:00. > :42:05.France. And we were basking in sunshine through the French. And now
:42:06. > :42:08.we are starting this way so it has really been a continuation of bad
:42:09. > :42:12.weather following the tournaments. Maybe we should campaign for a roof,
:42:13. > :42:18.I wonder what the planning application would be like in this
:42:19. > :42:24.part of London! No problem, how may people do you want under it, 7500,
:42:25. > :42:32.no problem! A permanent structure! I don't think so. Nick Kyrgios is not
:42:33. > :42:37.only an interesting player to watch but he had his issues last year and
:42:38. > :42:41.at the French Open, shouting at the ball boy and then audible
:42:42. > :42:45.obscenities. He has had his issues and now having a run in with the
:42:46. > :42:54.Australian Olympic Committee. The leader of that... It is not going
:42:55. > :42:59.well. Nick Kyrgios has pulled himself out of the Australian
:43:00. > :43:05.Olympic selection process. He was put forward by tennis Australia to
:43:06. > :43:12.be a player in Rio and he says, there are a lot of disparaging
:43:13. > :43:18.comments coming his way. From the Australian Olympic Committee. He
:43:19. > :43:22.said, they didn't reach out to me, my family or representatives in any
:43:23. > :43:26.way, they have made disparaging comments and I will make myself
:43:27. > :43:30.unavailable for selection for the Australian Olympic team. It is such
:43:31. > :43:34.a shame, he joins Bernard Tomic, neither of them will go to the
:43:35. > :43:38.Olympic Games. It is further evidence that he is still trying to
:43:39. > :43:42.find out where he is in the world. He does still have a chance, if he
:43:43. > :43:48.fills out a form, but it is not looking good. I think we will leave
:43:49. > :43:51.Queen 's again because we have been sitting here watching the rain come
:43:52. > :43:57.down. We have only had about 35 minutes of play here and it is
:43:58. > :44:02.really frustrating for everyone. We are on the air until 6pm and then
:44:03. > :44:07.will be on the red button. We're still hoping the rain will go away
:44:08. > :44:11.and we will get more play here. If there is some, will be back on and I
:44:12. > :44:16.It's home to a million people at any one time...
:44:17. > :44:19...consumes tens of millions of meals,