Wimbledon Day 1 was a good one for four 30-something ATP players

There is a lot of attention on the youth movement in tennis with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz being 22 and 21 respectively. However, Day 1 of Wimbledon put the spotlight on four 30-somethings who scored big first-round wins, and these wins were registered 24 hours before Novak Djokovic takes the court for his first-round match.

The 30-somethings advancing to Wimbledon's Round 2 range in age from 33 to 39, and one is a three-time Grand Slam champion and former World No 3.

In the cruel irony that is tennis, two of the 30-somethings will face each other in the second round so one will be eliminated on Wednesday.

Grigor Dimitrov, Fabio Fognini, Gael Monfils, and Stan Wawrinka are turning back time at Wimbledon

Dimitrov, 33, Fognini (with his new blonde hair) and Monfils, both 37 and Wawrinka, 39, are trying to challenge tennis's youth movement at Wimbledon. The second round becomes trickier terrain for all of them.

Dimitrov will face World No. 91, Juncheng Shang. Fognini faces Casper Ruud. Even though Ruud is not known for his grass-court play, this is a competitive second-round match for Fognini. Fognini is the original Italian who has been a tour veteran for years and is now watching his compatriot Jannik Sinner lead the next generation. Chances are good that Fognini is grateful to face Ruud because Sinner will be challenged by another Italian whose game is suited to the grass, Matteo Berrettini.

Gael Monfils and Stan Wawrinka will play each other. It will be their seventh career meeting with each player winning three previously. The two have never met on grass courts. Monfils won their last match in Rotterdam in 2019.

All eyes on Day 2 will be on Novak Djokovic, 37, beginning the pursuit of his 25th Grand Slam title. Though Andy Murray has sadly withdrawn from the Wimbledon singles competition, it is great to see all of the 30-somethings getting off to a strong start.

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