Wimbledon: Roger Federer v Marc Gicquel - Live!

Rain at Wimbledon After four days of sunshine, humidity and uninterrupted play, the drizzle is falling on Centre Court. The covers are on and, up in the stands, the umbrellas sprout like gaudy mushrooms. Right now, the rain is almost a novelty. Let's hope it doesn't overstay its welcome.

The upcoming match pits the reigning champion against humble Marc Gicquel. By his standards, Federer has had a torrid year so far. He lost to Djokovic in Australia and was obliterated by Nadal at the French. In between, he found himself bossed around by such unlikely world beaters as Radek Stepanek and Mardy Fish. Inevitably, this has prompted excited murmurs that his crown is slipping.

But if Federer is to lose at this year's Wimbledon, the chances are that it won't be today. Gicquel is a 31-year-old journeyman who has probably exceeded his own expectations by reaching round three. He is ranked 53 in the world. Astonishingly, this makes him only the eighth best male player in France (behind Gasquet, Tsonga, Mathieu, Monfils, Simon, Llodra and Benneteau, since you're asking). Phew, but France is rich in talent. What's the world ranking of the British number eight? Somewhere in the high hundreds, I'm guessing.