Roger Federer v Sebastien Grosjean

2pm: Players back on court: ... and then they're off again. Umbrellas bloom around the crowd and the cover is pulled back across Centre Court. Hey-de-ho.

"Does anyone know who the gentleman is who appears always to sit at the end of the players' enclosure nearest the scoreboard and just above a commentators' box on Centre Court?" writes Geoff Beetles. "He wears a blazer, smart shirt and tie and what appears to be a US cavalry stetson with a badge on the front and he has an elegant silver goatee beard. Might be an aging Custer or Wild Bill Hickock."

Sad to admit that I've often wondered about this myself. This bloke has been sitting there as long as I've been watching Wimbledon, 20 years or so. He never seems to bring a guest or even get any older. My theory is that he's a waxwork that has melted into his seat and now can't be removed. The All England Club sporadically attempts to wrestle him loose, if only to free up one of the best seats in the house. So far, no joy.


Email round-up: As Federer and Grosjean sip tea and nibble cake in the locker room, your electromails have started to drizzle in.

"This is the ultimate look-a-like contest," writes Rob Haynes. "Clearly Federer's Quentin Tarantino will out-gun Grosjean's lightweight Adam Sandler." Looks that way at the moment, but don't Sandler movies traditionally have happy endings? For him, if not his audience.

Elsewhere Carl Baker, an "analyst" by trade, confesses that he's just put £20 on Grosjean to win at 5-1, while Adam in Geneva wonders "what's the story behind the name Xan?". It is a long and enthralling story, Adam. Full of cliffhanger escapades, romantic misunderstandings, death-bed tragedies and a little low-comedy involving runaway monkeys. And if this rain delay goes on much longer you may yet get to hear it ...

1.30pm: Rain delay The rain comes down and the players heft their bags off court. It's partcularly bad luck for Grosjean, who at last seemed to be starting to make an impression on the match, launching himself into some backhands and catching Federer napping. Play is called off with the Swiss up 40-30 on his serve.

First set: Grosjean *2-3 Federer The trouble with Grosjean is that he appears to believe he can out-rally Federer from the baseline. He can't. The Swiss moves him around the court, waits for the short ball and then leathers a winner. Grosjean isn't quite as industrious a battler as Hewitt and he looks a little lightweight out there. Still, he's just about clinging on, saving three break-points and scrambling through a lengthy service game. That last rally alone seemed to last about five minutes.

No emails so far, by the way. I feel like the tree in the forest that no one saw fall over.

First set: Grosjean 1-3* Federer The artful Roger is looking typically unruffled out on Centre Court. Grosjean, by contrast, is chewing the inside of his mouth and groping for his returns and dumping his shots into the net or over the baseline. In the player's box, the Frenchman's coach looks as though he's suffering for a minor bout of indigestion.

First set: Grosjean *1-2 Federer Grosjean seems to be easing his way into the match a bit now. He teases Federer with a dipping forehand pass and then rifles the ball into the opposite corner. Despite an unlucky net-cord which goes against him, the Frenchman takes the game.

First set: Grosjean 0-2* Federer The rain is lightly falling, and Federer's serve is skidding off the turf. Grosjean makes a gallant backhand to take a point but is struggling to cope with the Swiss's deliveries.

First set: Grosjean *0-1 Federer And they're off. Grosjean, a ferrety counterpuncher in the Hewitt mould, stays back on his serve, follows through with an extravagant flourish on the forehand and allows Federer to warm up his racket arm and start belting the ball into the corners. Already the Frenchman is on the backfoot. He loses serve to 15. And the rain is starting to fall ...