Raymond's new combination for mixed doubles defence

Rain meant that only one match was completed on the first day of the mixed doubles, Nathalie Grandin and Santiago Gonzalez ousting Marion Bartoli, the 2007 ladies’ singles runner-up, and American Nicholas Monroe 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.

Grandin and Gonzalez will play the No. 5 seeds Alexander Peya of Austria and Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany for a place in the third round.

Last year the title was won by the America duo and No.2 seeds Mike Bryan and Lisa Raymond, but this time Raymond is No.1 seed alongside Bruno Soares of Brazil.

At the bottom of the draw and seeded No. 2 are Sania Mirza and Horia Tecau, who has been runner-up at the All England Club in the gentlemen’s doubles three times.

Completing the top pairings are the No. 3 pair of Nenad Zimonjic and Katarina Srebotnik and the No.4 combination, Max Mirnyi and Andrea Hlavackova. All seeded teams receive a bye in the opening round.

Also in the draw are a number of singles specialists as well as young players looking to improve their grass-court game. French Open singles champion Francesca Schiavone will team up with Rajeev Ram. Meanwhile, James Blake, a former world No.4, joins forces with Croatian teenager Donna Vekic.

Representing Britain, Laura Robson is paired with countryman Colin Fleming while Heather Watson will team up with Jonathan Marray. He made a surprise run last year to win the Gentlemen’s Doubles Championship, becoming the first British man to win the title in 76 years.

Meanwhile, Kyle Edmund, who made his Wimbledon debut during the Fortnight, and 2012 girls’ singles champion Eugenie Bouchard will also join forces. In the first round, they face Marray’s partner during his Wimbledon doubles title run, Frederik Nielsen, and Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden.