Graphic: Murray v Kendrick | Graphic: SW19 in 60 seconds

Andy Murray took the first steps on the road to the nation’s dream destination of a first Wimbledon title for a British man in 73 years when he survived a wobble to win his first-round match last night.

However, Murray’s victory did little to spare the blushes of the Lawn Tennis Association as Britain put on its joint worst first-round showing of the modern era.

While Murray overcame Robert Kendrick in four sets, the rest of the home contingent were going down like flies under the hot Wimbledon sun. Six players were catapulted out of the men’s and women’s singles in a welter of tears, disappointment and recrimination, leaving Murray and Elena Baltacha as the last remaining representatives.

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It was a set of results that disturbed Murray as he looked down the list. “It is not acceptable,” the No 3 seed said. “I am not picking out players, but they are not up to the same level as the other guys here, they don’t play at this level very often, so when the tight moments come, they don’t perform.

“But regardless of whether there are ten Brits or one, I have to take care of my own business.” Business that, in spite of the problems that make British tennis a national embarrassment, could turn Murray into a national hero.

A distraught Anne Keothavong, the British No 1, who came to Wimbledon with high hopes, fled her post-match press conference in floods of tears, unable to cope with the questioning of reporters after a tame 7-5, 6-2 defeat by the unfancied Patricia Mayr, of Austria.

It seemed that Britain’s best hope in the women’s singles was overcome by the occasion on a packed No 4 Court. “When it got tight, I was tentative,” Keothavong said. “I feel like I have let myself down more than anything.”

After her composure returned and she had time to survey her dashed hopes, Keothavong sent out a Twitter message: “Bad day at the office. Wish I could start the day again but that’s life.” But there were no second chances for her or her compatriots as player after player slid out of their home tournament in front of disappointed fans.

It was the only blot on a perfect day for Wimbledon as record crowds packed in to watch tennis against the glorious backdrop of a tournament bucking the recession. Ticket sales are booming in spite of the credit crunch, with thousands queueing outside the gates for a chance to watch the action late into a sunlit evening.

Murray simply put the cream on the strawberries for those who waited patiently for his appearance on Centre Court. They were not disappointed as the Scot indulged them with a nerve-jangling performance.

After taking the first set 7-5, Murray lose a second-set tie-break to his Californian opponent, ranked No 76 in the world. It was, though, only a wobble to spice up the contest. Murray turned on his trademark repertoire of improvised passes and drop shots to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-4.

Murray faces Ernests Gulbis, the big-hitting Latvian, in the second round and admits that he will have to step up his game.

“It was tough,” he said. “I had to stay calm because he [Kendrick}] came up with some big serves and it can be frustrating.”

The further Murray goes, the longer the queues outside Wimbledon. Ticket agencies are bracing themselves for an avalanche of demands, with inquiries already up 300 per cent, according to Viagogo, one of Europe’s biggest ticketing agencies.

It warns that Centre Court tickets could be changing hands for more than £8,000 and will rise in price as Murray homes in on his final target.