Tennis: Queen’s win ensures double joy for Scotland’s Jamie Baker

And there was more good news when it emerged he has been handed a wildcard for Wimbledon.

Resuming after a rain delay on day two at Queen’s, world No 482 Golding kept pace with Baker in the first set. But the Scot came in to his own in the tie-break, however, which he won 7-1.

Golding trailed 0-4 at the start of the second set but rallied briefly before British No 3 Baker sealed a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 win.

Baker, ranked 203 in the world, has played Tsonga once before, in Lanzarote five years ago, when the French world No 5 won in straight sets.

Baker was one of eight home players to be awarded wildcards for Wimbledon. James Ward, Josh Goodall and Golding, who won last year’s US Open boy’s singles title, will also compete in the men’s draw at SW19.

Lleyton Hewitt has been granted a wildcard having dropped to 176 in the world after career-saving toe surgery in February and is joined by veteran German Tommy Haas. British No 3 Heather Watson has been given entry into the women’s draw, alongside Laura Robson, Naomi Broady and Johanna Konta. The remaining wildcards will be announced at the end of the week.

Andy Murray’s grass court season begins at Queen’s today but opponent Nicolas Mahut is confident he can beat the Scot. Frenchman Mahut set up a second-round clash with the defending champion by beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 6-2 yesterday.

Murray, who had a first-round bye has beaten Mahut twice before, at Indian Wells five years ago and the following year in Marseille, where he edged through 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).

Mahut reached the 2007 final at Queen’s after beating Rafael Nadal and said: “Of course I believe I can beat him [Murray]. Otherwise I wouldn’t be on the court.

“I beat Nadal here. I was one point away from beating Roddick when he was in the top five. I know I can do well. I know I can beat top players on this surface. I believe in myself, I believe in my game. He’s the favourite but I just have to come on centre court, enjoy it and play my game.”

But Murray must be confident of doing well at Queen’s, with perhaps only Feliciano Lopez capable of stopping him from reaching the final, where he is likely to face Tsonga in a repeat of last year’s showdown.

Having recovered from the back spasms he suffered at the French Open last week, the pressure will be on Murray at Wimbledon to go beyond the semi-final spot he has achieved for the last three championships at Wimbledon. But, should he not successfully defend his crown at Queen’s, he will not be overly concerned.

Murray said: “Whether I win Queen’s or not, I don’t necessarily think it is going to change the outcome of Wimbledon. I have won here before and not Wimbledon so my goal is to obviously win Wimbledon. But it has always been good preparation to play here and get some matches under my belt on the grass. I feel pretty confident. I have been hitting the ball pretty well.”

Murray has gone through a mixed patch of form since linking up with new coach Ivan Lendl over the winter.

The world No 4 reached the Australian Open semi-final, where he fought valiantly against Novak Djokovic and then went on to reach finals in Dubai and Miami but, since then, his best results have been quarter-finals in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.