Tennis players revolted over rain breaks at Wimbledon on Tuesday as organisers faced claims they were overlooking safety to get matches played on time.

Serena Williams threatened to sue a referee over slippery playing conditions and two other players erupted with rage after being refused a lavatory break.

In ill-tempered scenes on Centre Court, referee Andrew Jarrett was targeted by Williams midway through her match as she warned Marija Cicak, the umpire: "If I get hurt, I'm suing him."

As light drizzle fell, she told the official: "I'm going to fall. I don't get it. Can't they just close the roof?" Her outburst came after Frenchman Gilles Simon, 31, had also threatened legal action after last week describing how he wanted to "destroy" the umpire who refused his request to leave the court in drizzle.

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The All England Club has been under pressure to play matches on time after being forced to stage only the fourth "People's Sunday" in its history following heavy rainfall last week. However, a spokesman denied referees were being urged to play through any rain.

Meanwhile, as Williams lost her temper during her fourth-round win over Svetlana Kuznetsova, a simultaneous confrontation erupted on Court Seven where former doubles champion Jonny Marray became the first Briton through to the quarter-finals.

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