Greg Rusedski may rue the fact that the stiffness in his damaged ankle which forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon did not extend all the way to his upper lip.

The Canadian-born, naturalised Englishman may yet regret his vitriolic outburst at the end of a press conference which revealed a split with his coach Tony Pickard. Rusedski criticised Pickard for his decision to part company with him and its timing.

Rusedski confirmed that Pickard had approached him minutes after he had decided to withdraw from the tournament, thereby allowing qualifier, Mark Draper, to progress to the second round. The Australian had been leading 5-4 overnight in the third set with a break when rain intervened. Both players have taken a set apiece.

The normally genial Rusedski stunned the assembled media when asked if his decision to play despite the injury, against the express wishes of his coach, had "injured in any way your relationship with Tony." His reply was unequivocal.

"Tony feels that he does not want to work with me anymore, and that's it.

"So the relationship is basically done. So that's what his comments were for today, after I decided to pull out. So that's his choice. "No, I don't regret it [playing], because I felt it was something that I had to do. I think I made the right decision for myself. I had confidence in my physio and in my physical trainer and the people that were around me, and if that is the way he feels, fine."

Rusedski did concede that Pickard's decision had come as a bit of a bolt from the blue.

"I think the timing of it is a little bit suspect. You know, fair enough he didn't like some of the decisions I made with my physiotherapist and the people around me, but just because I get this injury and it is around Wimbledon time, and I decide to give it a go does not give a person a reason to make that choice.

"I guess that just shows a person's true colours." The US Open finalist and world number four offered one final parting shot when questioned as to a replacement coach.

"I'm not worried about it. The player always makes it. The coach can help but it is the player at the end of the day."

Pickard, ventured a few verbal volleys of his own. The man who was a guiding force in Stefan Edberg's career explained: "I waited until he had made the decision that he wasn't going to play but I thought about it long and hard over the last two weeks. After he had been to the referee I sat him down and told him our relationship was over.

"Over the last two weeks there was a total breakdown in communication. For two days I had no idea where he was and at this level, unless there is complete trust, it stops working. He stopped listening. I believed that he should not have played. I know what his injuries are, but there were outside influences telling him that he was going to be fit."

Pickard's calm and measured delivery slipped temporarily when told of Rusedski's accusations. "Maybe the young man would be a lot better to say nothing because, if I was to elaborate for you, then I think you would all tear him to pieces. So I think that it's better I don't make a comment."

Pickard did concede that his decision did bring some relief particularly in the light of Tuesday night's events on court. "It nearly killed me, sitting and watching somebody almost destroying himself out on the tennis court. It was heart rending."

The Rusedski-Pickard spat overshadowed a catastrophic day for two high-profile contenders, Chilean, Marcelo Rios, and last year's beaten finalist Cedric Pioline of France, both of whom were dispatched in five-set thrillers.

The Rios defeat continued the carnage of seeds when the moody world number two was outlasted by Spaniard Francisco Clavat 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 and then promptly described Wimbledon as boring before beating a hasty retreat.

Pioline, who lost to Pete Sampras, a winner yesterday, in last year's final was involved in a mammoth tussle with former Swiss Olympic champion Marc Rosset, losing out 13-11 in the final set.