The Preview: Day 1
In or out, some things never change. If you thought last week was full of turmoil and drama, then welcome to the 130th Wimbledon. No referendum is required to work out whether this edition will remain, as ever, the most exhilarating and enthralling of summer rides.
Actually, the one thing that does feel a little different now is the rhythm of The Championships. The later start in June gives tennis that extra week to breathe after the French Open, offering competitors the chance for a bit of R&R - recovery and repair.
It made all the difference last year, with players saying they felt more refreshed on espying the ivy. None more so than Novak Djokovic, the gentlemen’s singles champion who begins the defence of his title here, seeking a third successive triumph and fourth in all.
Who can beat Djokovic? Even his competitors sound unsure. Nick Kyrgios couldn’t quite credit it at the weekend when he was asked by one journalist who the tournament favourite was. “It's a silly question. No more questions for you, bro,” the Australian scolded him. Quite right, too.
Since earning his remarkable ‘Novak Slam’ - owning all four of the grand slams simultaneously - at Roland Garros three weeks ago, the champ has looked the picture of relaxed contentment, to judge from the selfies he’s been posting of himself on the Underground with the cheery message: “I'm officially a Londoner.”
Good try, Novak. Even seeing himself as an honorary Londoner won’t be enough to have the Centre Court rooting for him when he comes up against our very own James Ward, son of a London cabbie.
Ward, a wild card and the world No.177, can’t quite believe all this. “To open the tournament against one of the greatest of all time and the current world No.1 - it doesn't get much better,” he says breathlessly. And then the match began…
If Ward wins, would it represent the greatest Wimbledon shock ever? Very possibly. Up there with Roger Taylor’s defeat of Rod Laver here in 1970.
Anyway, back in the real world, it’s always a pleasure to welcome back seven-time champion Roger Federer, who sounded a mite affronted at the weekend by any suggestion that, after a back injury, the first surgery of his career - to repair a torn meniscus in his knee - and missing the French Open, he might not quite be the force of old.
“This back has won me 88 titles, it’s OK if it messes around with me sometimes,” he reminded us. In his Centre Court kingdom, in their first meeting, Argentine Guido Pella may be the one to feel the force of the great one’s indignation.
The Centre Court fell more than a little for Garbiñe Muguruza last year when she offered a fine challenge to Serena Williams in her maiden Grand Slam final. Since then, her eclipse of Serena in the French Open final has only underlined that obvious star quality.
At the weekend, the sunny Spaniard was to be found wandering around The All England Club in a Spain football jersey, telling us of her excitement at watching their progress in the European Championship. Coincidentally, while they take on Italy in the last 16, she will be otherwise engaged in playing out her own Spain-Italy duel on Centre with Camila Giorgi, the world No.68.
It’s good to see Laura Robson back on the big stage as she battles back from her wrist injury woes. On No.1 Court, she meets Angelique Kerber, rekindling memories of when she was a 17-year-old winning her first Grand Slam match against the German. Five years on, as Australian Open champion, Kerber now presents a rather more forbidding obstacle.
Robson and Ward are among eight Britons in action on this opening day, as we eagerly await Andy Murray joining the fray on Tuesday. Will they be in or out by the end of the day?
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