Five things we learned from Day 1 at Roland Garros

There's always room for the veterans. The received thinking is that tennis is a young man's or woman's game. But to debunk that myth you need look no further than this year's French Open.

Jo-Wiffried Tsonga celebrates his victory at Roland Garros, Paris, 25 May 2014. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier

• Thirty-two year old Roger Federer saw off 26-year-old Lukas Lacko in 84 minutes in straight sets to reach round two. Admittedly it was a bit tougher for rickety Roger's fellow thirty-somethings Mikhail Youzny and Radek Stepenek. Youzny, 31, came from two sets down to beat the up-and-coming 22-year-old Pablo Carreno Busta and 35-year-old Stepanek also came from two sets down to dispose of 21-year-old Facundo Arguello. Youzny and Stepanek were detained on court for 2 hours 59 minutes and 3 hours 28 minutes respectively. Just as well the two will meet in the next round.
• While on the subject of incipient decrepitude, the women's top seed Serena Williams is approaching 33. The defending champion is hunting her third French Open title and her 18th grand slam. She carved up the unseeded Frenchwoman Alizé Lim 6-2 6-1 to advance to the second round. Lim trains at the academy in Paris of Williams's partner and coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. "I'm really proud of her," said Williams of the 23-year-old. "She's just rising in the rankings really, really well." But obviously not that well.
  

• Serena's big sister, Venus, will be 34 on June 17 by which time the French Open will be a chimera and thoughts will be wofting towards the lawns of Wimbledon in London SW19. Five of Venus's seven grand slams have been at the All England Lawn Tennis Club between 2000 and 2008. Venus has been plagued by injury over the past couple of years but she's still a mean competitor. Belinda Bencic, who’s just turned 17, is the Wimbledon girl's champion and the junior world number one. But she was tutored by the former world number one. "I think she has a great attitude and it will take her a long way," said Williams of the teenage tyro. "I won by just doing everything better, serving, returning, just more experience helps a lot."
• The three Sunday grand slam is a French Open thing. Roland Garros starts on a Sunday while the three other majors in Melbourne, New York and Wimbledon all start on a Monday. Wimbledon is really quirky by having the first Sunday as a rest day (just think of all that lost money). A few years back when Federer was world number one he was asked for his views after playing on the first Sunday. He was mighty sniffy and none too pleased talking about the gnarled routine for having three days off - instead of two days before his second round match. But he seems to have chilled over the years. The world number four didn’t come across as disgruntled on day one. Maybe it’s the children. With twin daughters on the scene and his recently born twin boys, perhaps the fading maestro has added flexibility to his outlook.
• French 13th seed Jo Wilifried Tsonga is putting himself under pressure to do well at the tournament. He’s had inconsistent results this season. But last year’s semi finalist, who moved into round two on day one after beating compatriot Roger Edouard-Vasselin, says he’s played his best tennis in front of his home crowds. He told me: “I know it’s always a lot of pressure but I think now I have enough experience. I’ve played here quite a few times. I know what it’s like. I hope I’ll continue to play good tennis here.” But will it be good enough to beat the likes of the favourites Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic? The centre court crowds are waiting fervently for a local hero to take the crown. The last one to do so was Yannick Noah back in 1983. Well, that’s only 31 years. The Wimbledon faithful had to ululate for nearly 80 years before Andy Murray became the first British man since Fred Perry to win the men’s single’s crown.