Novak Djokovic began his campaign for a fourth successive grand slam title with a 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 6-1 victory over Italy's Potito Starace at the French Open this afternoon.

Andy Roddick can look as uneasy on clay as a tourist with a fear of heights climbing the Eiffel Tower and the 29-year-old American made his traditional early exit from the French Open here yesterday.

Laura Robson's French Open heartbreak turned to joy today as she earned a place in the main draw as a lucky loser courtesy of Silvia Soler-Espinosa's ankle injury.

Twelve months after becoming the first British woman for 28 years to win through the French Open qualifying tournament, Heather Watson did so again yesterday in thoroughly convincing fashion. The 20-year-old from Guernsey won her third qualifying match in succession, beating Italy's Anna Floris 6-0, 6-1.

Boris Becker believes Andy Murray might be better off pulling out of the French Open to let his back problem recover in time for Wimbledon and the Olympics.

It has not been the easiest of seasons for Heather Watson, but Britain's former US Open junior champion is hoping to revive memories of her good run at last year's French Open.

Former world number one Kim Clijsters has confirmed that the US Open in August will be her last tournament before she retires from the sport for a second and final time.

British number two James Ward has been awarded a wild card into next month's AEGON Championships.

Considering that they have won more than £107m in prize money between them, the casting of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray as shop stewards fighting the cause of their less well-off colleagues might seem unlikely. Nevertheless, Wimbledon revealed yesterday that it was partly on the recommendation of the Fab Four that it had decided on a significant redistribution of wealth at this summer's championships.

Wimbledon's early victims will be comforted by a larger slice of the total prize money this year after organisers today announced a 26 per cent pay rise for first-round losers.

The attempt by Britain's women to return to the Fed Cup's World Group will have to wait another year after Judy Murray's team lost their promotion play-off away to Sweden yesterday. Given the world rankings of the players involved, Sweden were always marginal favourites to win on home territory in Boras and they secured the victory by winning the first three rubbers of the tie.

Making her first steps as a tennis player in a decade when British women won five singles titles at Grand Slam tournaments must have been a challenge for Nell Robinson, née Truman. What made her career all the more commendable was the fact that she was not even the best player in her own family.

Dick Williams and Karl Behr were elite players who met on court after coincidentally surviving the 100-year-old disaster

Outlook It is hardly a great surprise that Halfords is finding life difficult. Most retailers are. But one bright spot in yesterday's rather gloomy pre-close trading update was the performance of cycling, with sales up 5.7 per cent during the current financial year.