Blake outplays Gimelstob

Blake saved break point in his first service game, but the first set was evenly matched, with no break of serve until the final game.

It was not until the final game of the first set that Blake was able to break the New Jersey man to take the first set 7-5 with powerful backhand passing shots.

At 2-1 down in the second, Gimelstob's powerful serve saved two break points to bring himself back to deuce, but he subsequently lost the game, giving Blake the crucial break, upon which he capitalised, winning his service game to go 4-1 ahead. Gimelstob provided little resistance from there on in, and the American stormed the second set 6-1.

Blake could face Britain's Andy Murray in the third round. Murray followed Blake on to centre court to face Serbia and Montenegro's Janko Tipsarevic in his first round tie.

British hope Andy Murray was poised to level his match against unheralded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic at one set all when persistent showers brought a premature end to the day's play at 1440 GMT. Tipsarevic leads 7-6 2-5.

Elsewhere, Britons Jamie Baker and Alex Bogdanovic both lost in their first-round matches.

The 19-year-old Baker was beaten 6-1 6-3 to American Mardy Fish , while Bogdanovic lost 7-6 6-4 to experienced Russian Dmitry Tursunov.

A missed train disrupted Rafael Nadal's attempts to get better acquainted with grass.

The Spaniard, fresh from winning his second French Open title, was left stranded in a Paris station for two hours on Monday when he missed his connection to London.

After spending more time than he would have cared locked in the Gare de Nord's VIP lounge, Nadal dashed to London's Queen's Club to fit in a practice session as soon as he arrived in the English capital.

"We missed the train and, believe me guys, this is no good.

We were there for hours waiting but what can you do? You just wait," Nadal said at the Queen's club on Tuesday.

"We arrived here at five...and I come here for practice 45 minutes.