LONDON -- Britain put in a less than stellar performance at the Stella Artois tennis championships with a trio of home-grown hopefuls skidding out on a rainy first day of action.

Martin Lee, Jamie Delgado and Arvind Parmar all disappointed as torrential showers caused havoc at the $800,000 pre-Wimbledon grass-court event at Queens Club.

Organizers were resigned to a slow start to the event as the forecast was bleak, with showers predicted all day.

Just five of the scheduled 16 first-round matches were completed when rain and fading daylight caused organizers to call it a day shortly before 8 p.m. GT.

Former champion Mark Philippoussis proved simply too strong and too experienced for Lee, crushing him 6-1, 7-5 on a dewy Centre Court.

The Australian, on the comeback after an injury-ravaged year, looks in great form and could be a dark horse with Wimbledon just two weeks away.

Delgado's defeat was less understandable, bowing out to American Cecil Mamiit who is not known for his grass-court prowess.

But, the American had the measure of Delgado throughout and thoroughly deserved his second round spot.

Former Swiss Olympic gold medallist Marc Rosset put paid to Parmar's hopes.

The Briton has a competent grass-court game but on this occasion Rosset simply served, volleyed and returned better giving Parmar no chance at all.

It made grim viewing for Davis Cup captain Roger Taylor and coach Jeremy Bates who sat in the drizzle watching their charges.

They will be hoping for better things from second seed Tim Henman when he finally gets underway, probably on Wednesday.

Henman, given a bye in the first round, could face French teenager Richard Gasquet on Wednesday in an eagerly-anticipated clash.

Gasquet, winner of the French Open boys singles at the weekend, was the youngest winner of a main draw match at a Masters Series event when he reached the second round of Monte Carlo in April at age 15.

The French boy, who turns 16 two days after Sunday's final, must first get past South African Neville Godwin.

Top seed Lleyton Hewitt also received a bye. The Australian is looking to win the trophy for a third successive time after victories in the 2000 final over Pete Sampras and in the 2001 final over Henman.

In other action on Monday, 16th seed Sargis Sargsian, of Armenia, beat Austria's Julian Knowle 7-6, 6-1, while 10th seed and 1992 champion Wayne Ferreira of South Africa breezed past Georgia's Irakli Labadze 6-4, 6-2.