First past the post

The very first player to experience the sweet taste of victory this year was American Alison Riske-Amritraj.

The former quarter-finalist wrapped things up against Swiss Ylena In-Albon 6-2, 6-4 on the stroke of 1.45pm. Another American, No.30 seed Tommy Paul, was first to cross the line in the men’s draw when he brushed aside Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(4).

Walk this way

Eagle-eyed Wimbledon regulars will have noticed the stars entering Centre Court through a new players’ entrance, a design change introduced this year to celebrate the centenary of Wimbledon’s famous Show Court.

Following a new route, players leave the clubhouse before emerging directly on to court underneath the Royal Box through a hinged section of the sight screen.

Scenic route

We all love a trick shot but Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was left questioning the wisdom of a front-on ‘tweener’ that he tried when he held three match points while leading No.7 seed Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(4), 6-4, 5-3, 40-0.

To be fair, the Spanish former Junior Wimbledon champion didn’t have much time to react to a deep Hurkacz return, but netted his ambitious ‘hot-dog’, missed his next two match points and then watched the Pole work his way back to force a decider.

Twice Hurkacz was up a break in the fifth – he served for victory at 5-4 – before ‘Foki’ finally finished the job 10-8 in the deciding tie-break.

Croat’s COVID blow

Former runner-up and many experts’ dark horse for a deep run, Marin Cilic, was forced to withdraw from The Championships after testing positive for COVID. 

The Croat was hoping for another extended stay at a Grand Slam after reaching his first Roland-Garros semi-final in early June.

“I am heartbroken to be missing Wimbledon and to see my grass season end this way,” he said on Instagram.

Sharing is caring

Midway through a first round defeat to Lesia Tsurenko, Britain’s Jodie Burrage came to the rescue when a ballboy began feeling unwell on Court 18.

The 23-year-old gave the youngster an energy gel before finding him a tastier alternative.

“I just tried to get him some sugar, gave him a Gatorade and a gel,” she explained.

“He wasn’t liking the gel. They’re not the nicest things to have. Someone just shouted from the side, ‘Got some sweets here if you want.’

“They were Percy Pigs. Percy Pigs are one of my favourites.”

Rock ’n’ Roll Star

Emma Raducanu attracted a surprise superfan during her run to the fourth round 12 months ago when former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher regularly took to Twitter to voice his support.

Liam was quick to hit social media again on Monday after the British No.10 seed beat Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck in straight sets.

Manic Monday

Some professionals like to play a couple of tournaments to fine-tune their grass games, others opt for training blocks on the turf to prepare for The Championships.

Not Argentina’s Federico Coria. The 30-year-old prepared for Monday’s first round appointment with Czech Jiri Vesely by winning a Challenger Tour event 24 hours earlier – on clay.

The world No.67 beat Italian Francesco Passaro to lift the trophy in Milan, Italy on Sunday before jetting to London, switching surfaces and – perhaps not surprisingly – losing to Vesely in straight sets.

Novak’s neighbour

British No.1 Cameron Norrie is enjoying an upgrade to his changing facilities this year.

As one of the top 16 seeds, the lefty is invited into the Gentlemen Members’ Dressing Room in the Centre Court building and finds himself alongside a certain Serbian who has won the event six times.

“It's so good,” Norrie enthused. “Especially [since] they put my locker right next to Novak Djokovic’s.

“I was asking him how Centre Court was, talking to him a little bit.

“Mostly all his stuff was in the way of mine.

“I was trying to get past him, trying to get to my locker.”

Casper captivates

Apparent boos echoed around Court 12 as Casper Ruud arrived for his first round joust with Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Not to worry.

Not boos, of course, just the now customary in-joke way crowds have of calling the Norwegian’s name in supportive greeting (“Roood”).

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