Lleyton Hewitt, Todd Reid, Alicia Molik and Christina Wheeler had a frustrating day at Wimbledon, hanging around for almost seven hours until organisers finally abandoned play due to rain.

It was the first time in five years organisers declared a wash out and the Australians' matches have now been rescheduled for Friday, weather permitting.

Reid filled in the hours playing cards as he waited for his first round match against American Vincent Spadea to resume after it was suspended on Tuesday because of rain, with the first set locked at 1-1.

Hewitt was due to play unheralded Georgian Irakli Labadze in the second round while Australia's top women's player Alicia Molik was scheduled to face American Teryn Ashley, also in the second round.

Australian qualifier Christina Wheeler hoped to make her first Wimbledon appearance against world No.93 Tatiana Perebiybis from Ukraine but that match will take place on Friday.

Officials said 21,156 people attended Wimbledon on Thursday, even though not a ball was struck.

Encouraged by weather bureau forecasts predicting fewer showers and some bright intervals later in the day, organisers announced several tentative new start times but they came and went without any improvement in the weather.

Organisers conceded defeat just before 7pm local time.

Play was abandoned early on Tuesday because of the rain while three hours of action was lost to the weather on the opening day of the tournament.

With the first round yet to be completed, organisers have moved the start of play forward for Thursday and Friday.

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