Paris-London double
Everyone's a horticulturist at this stage of the tennis year. The players all have a view on the Wimbledon grass, with the open-mic discussion on the perceived speed of the courts - and whether they seem to be playing any slower than summers past - now among the tournament's traditions.
The reality, of course, is that the ground staff have prepared the courts in their same meticulous way. Going from the high, slow bounce of the Roland-Garros clay to the lower, faster bounce at Wimbledon remains the most challenging transition in tennis.
That is among the reasons that so few players have accomplished the Paris-London double in the same season, with Australia's Ashleigh Barty attempting to become only the third woman since 1985 to do so, potentially following a couple of greats in Steffi Graf and Serena Williams. Barty, who is playing her first Grand Slam as the No.1 seed, faces a British wild card Harriet Dart on Centre Court.
Just 17
Jimmy Connors was a street-fighter in very short shorts, perhaps the most combative man to have ever played the sport, with his entire career encapsulated in one remark: "People don't understand that it's a goddamn war out there."
While Connors and Roger Federer's approaches to competition could hardly be more different - the Swiss could almost be in the diplomatic corps - they do have something in common at the All England Club. By progressing this far, Federer has equalled the American's record of reaching the third round 17 times. Federer, who is seeking a ninth Wimbledon title, plays Frenchman Lucas Pouille.
More perfection from Konta?
Such was the quality of Johanna Konta's tennis against Sloane Stephens in last month's Roland-Garros quarter-final, the watching Chris Evert felt as though the Briton would have beaten anyone that day. On Saturday, Konta and American Stephens meet again, in the third round of The Championships. A semi-finalist here two years ago, Konta is attempting to become the first British woman to win Wimbledon since Virginia Wade in 1977.
No more surface tension
Until this summer, Germany's Julia Goerges hadn't ever looked forward to the grass court swing. A run to last season's semi-finals, where she was beaten by Serena Williams, transformed how she feels about the surface. On Saturday, she plays Williams again, though at a much earlier stage: in the third round. Williams, the runner-up to Angelique Kerber last year, is seeking a 24th Grand Slam singles title.
Why Evans has Federer to thank
If Britain's Daniel Evans reaches the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time, where he would likely play Rafael Nadal on Monday, it would have something to do with Federer. Anyone who spends an extended period practising with Federer in Switzerland, as Evans did after accepting an invitation earlier in the year, should notice an improvement in their performances. Evans plays Portugal's Joao Sousa, while Nadal faces France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
