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Australian comeback star Daria Saville was unaware she was being watched by a royal visitor at courtside on a rain-ruined day at Wimbledon.
Daria Saville found herself under the beady eye of a royal visitor at Wimbledon - but the Australian comeback star was so focused on her match she didn't realise Kate, the Princess of Wales, was watching her.
Australia's comeback star Saville wasn't getting the princess' support on Court 18 on Tuesday, with the patron of the All England Club at courtside to cheer on British No.1 Katie Boulter.
But despite the hubbub caused by the illustrious visitor's presence, Saville's husband Luke told AAP his wife only realised Kate had been watching her intently when a friend sent her a photo later in the day.
With Saville leading the finely poised match 6-5 in the first set, her big day - and that of the rest of the Australian contingent - ended up being halted by the rain which forced the royal visitor to take cover under a Wimbledon umbrella.
Luke Saville said Kate's visit had left his wife thrilled.
"She was too focused on the match, so she didn't know Kate was there," the Australian doubles star said.
"Maybe that would have made her more nervous if she had, so it's a good thing she didn't.
"But she was pretty pumped with that photograph of Kate watching her play. It's given her a little bit of motivation."
Watching his wife in her first grand slam since battling back from a serious knee injury, he added: "It's just great to see Dasha back at grand slam level. She's showed really positive glimpses in those first 11 games."
The persistent rain brought the end of play on all the outside courts. With many first-round matches still to be completed, there are set to be seven Australians in action in Wednesday's bumper 87-match program.
Boulter and Saville will resume their contest, while Sydney's Chris O'Connell will be out to finish his promising work against Serbian qualifier Hamad Medjedovic, having won the first set 7-5 and earned a break for 1-0 at the start of the second.
Jordan Thompson will be playing his second-round match against seven-time champion and holder Novak Djokovic, while Aleksandar Vukic finally learned late on Tuesday that his second-round opponent will be French big-server Quentin Halys, who beat Britain's Dan Evans in a match completed under the Centre Court roof.
Alexei Popyrin, Jason Kubler and Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur will also feature.
Tennis fan Kate - who later had the best seat in the house in the Centre Court Royal Box next to eight-time champion Roger Federer - has taken a particular interest in 26-year-old Boulter, the girlfriend of de Minaur for the past three years.
The joke before the match had been about the potential for divided loyalties, with de Minaur also being one of Luke Saville's best mates.
"May the best woman win," de Minaur had laughed.
Approaching the end of a closely fought opening set, it was still far from clear who that was going to be - with Saville not looking too rusty after her two recent comeback matches at Edgbaston.
