RIGHT, first things first, forget Federer, Murray and the Williams sisters.

If it’s the first day of Wimbledon, only one question needs answering – how much are the strawberries and cream?

The answer is a surprisingly reasonable £2.25 for a punnet that includes ten pieces of fruit. Perhaps the price has been reduced to offset the sting of paying £7 for a programme.

Either way, it’s hardly daylight robbery, and in the interests of journalistic research, I can confirm that the strawberries go down a treat as a little post-lunch dessert.

CONGRATULATIONS to the hardly souls who began queueing on Friday night to secure a ticket for yesterday’s play. That really was dedication on a grand scale.

It was bad enough queuing for the half-an-hour or so it took me yesterday morning, with Wimbledon’s security staff taking the now obligatory bag searches to a whole new level.

Still, at least I had nothing much to rush for. The same was not true of Novak Djokovic, who arrived at the competitors’ entrance next to the one I was using, only to be held up for ten minutes or so as his tennis bag was searched.

Surprise surprise, it contained tennis rackets. Suffice to say a thoroughly disgruntled Djokovic was not amused.

WIMBLEDON’S always good for a bit of celebrity spotting, and yesterday’s list of the great and the good included Formula One legend Jackie Stewart, actor Jude Law, didgeridoo blower Rolf Harris and Terry and June star June Whitfield. Quite a mixed bag.

Singer and Strictly Come Dancing star Alesha Dixon attracted the most camera phones, although she won’t be too keen on watching a video of her performance in front of the queue that was snaking through Wimbledon Golf Club.

Snatching a tennis racquet from a watching fan, Dixon proceeded to lose point after point to a faintly-embarrassed seven-year-old.

WHO said the North-South divide was dead? Upon arriving at Wimbledon’s press centre, I was immediately shown to my desk – in the International Writers’ section.

I must remember to get my passport stamped when I eventually head home.