Australian Open 2012 live stream

The day dawned with so much promise. Six British players in the main draw, the most at a foreign Grand Slam since the 1992 Australian Open. And five of them playing in one day. What a prospect for British tennis.

Admittedly, causing a ruffle to Victoria Azarenka’s tournament would be a big ask for Heather Watson, playing her first main draw match at Melbourne Park. So it proved, Watson ousted 6-1, 6-0 by the No.3 seed after just 57 minutes.

But her early departure did not consign the bunting to the stock room, immediately.

James Ward, joining Andy Murray in the men’s singles main draw after coming through qualifying for the first time, had a winnable draw against Blaz Kavcic. But the Slovenian, who has reached the second round here for the past two years, handled the windy conditions better than the Brit, and showed why he’s ranked 50-odd places higher.

Ward had opportunities in every set, one break of serve the difference in each, but in the end could not upset Kavcic’s rhythm, succumbing 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

“The wind was difficult, but there are no excuses,” Ward said. “It was the same for both of us. It was a tough day.

“He makes a lot of balls, against the wind it was tough to hit through against someone moving that well, but you learn from these things. You’ve got to go out there and beat the guy.

 “I’m disappointed because I’ve lost, I’m not happy about losing any matches. It was a good chance. But I’ve just got to carry on and take confidence from this week.”

More disappointing was Elena Baltacha’s loss to Stephanie Foretz Gacon in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. The British No.1 has found some of her best play in the past at Melbourne Park, reaching the second round last year and the year before. But it was not to be in 2012, the Frenchwoman proving all-too-competent with her waspish style.

With Baltacha clearly frustrated by a series of interesting line calls, she struggled to string her shots, unable to hurt her opponent with any consistency.

The next Briton in action was Laura Robson, rainbow in her hair as she lined up across the net from Jelena Jankovic on Margaret Court Arena. The soon-to-be 18-year-old had impressed coming through qualifying for the second successive Slam, and there were hopes she could do some damage to Jankovic with her lefty serve.

But the former world No.1 chose today to have one of her very good days, a human wall that bites back as she retrieved the bulk of Robson’s attack, and sent it back at double-pace. Producing an assured 6-2, 6-0 win over the teenager, the No.11 seed hardly put a foot wrong.

With no sets registered on the British side of the board, the last woman standing was Anne Keothavong, the former British No.1 who has had a resurgence under the tutelage of Jeremy Bates, mixed doubles champion here in 1991. But taking on the in-form Mona Barthel, who triumphed in Hobart at the weekend, Keothavong retired after just 21 minutes with illness, having dropped the first set 6-0.

Thus despite the early optimism, and the best showing for some years, Andy Murray is once again left as the last competitor with a British flag next to his name.