While British qualifier and world No 661 Chris Eaton hit the headlines yesterday at Wimbledon for his straight-sets win over Boris Pashanski, the real story of the day from England's Grand Slam tournament was the news that organisers have hired marksmen to shoot troublesome pigeons.

According to ESPN, Wimbledon officials already employ two hawks to try and keep pigeons away from the grass courts. But this year the tournament's organisers have turned to marksmen who have been instructed to take a zero tolerance approach towards any rogue Columbiformes.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, however, have condemned Wimbledon's actions as illegal because the offending birds are an inconvenience rather than a health hazard. But at this stage it looks like it's forty-love to the sharpshooters.