Martin Lee raised the Union Jack on the first day of Wimbledon.

The Worthing star was the first British player to taste victory with a straight sets destruction of Costa Rican No 1 Juan Antonio Marin.

Lee, fit-again after a five month break caused by groin surgery, won 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 against a player ranked 191 places above him.

"It's a very good win," he said. "He (Marin) is mainly a clay courter, but I haven't played many matches recently. Now I am back to full fitness and raring to go."

World No. 259 Lee, a leading junior, has been left behind in the rankings by the likes of Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean (28) and German Tommy Haas (23) since stepping up to the seniors.

Now, inspired by the recent form of fellow Brit Arvind Palmer and thriving on the expectancy created by the success of Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, he has discovered the belief to go much higher.

"The main thing is belief," Lee said. "Three or four years ago I was as good, if not better, than players who are up there. If they can do it then I can.

"In the last three weeks seeing Arvind Parmar doing well has given us all a big boost. There are five or six of us now pushing forward at the same time.

"Before Tim the public and press were waiting for someone. Tim came along and then Greg and now it has got even bigger.

"Everyone is expecting more and that is really helping us. We are trying really hard to get into the top one hundred."

Lee was a break down in both the second and third sets, but the 22-year-old left hander clinched victory by taking the tie break in the third 7-3 to reach the second round for the second time in four attempts.

He also won a match on his debut in 1997, and admitted: "This feels just as good. In the last two years I played well and lost, now I have played well and won.

"At the start of the second and third sets I lost a bit of concentration.

"I was returning so well that I knew I would get another chance to break and I just kept at it."

Millwall fan Lee faces another clay court specialist, world No 16 El Aynaoui, in the second round tomorrow.