Pre-Wimbledon Articles

[TennisHack]

Press Release (Working Title)

Wimbledon, The Film
Tuesday, April 24, 2003


Working Title is delighted to announce WIMBLEDON will start filming in June. Starring Paul Bettany (“A Beautiful Mind”, “Master and Commander”) and Kirsten Dunst (“Spiderman”), the romantic comedy set at the No.1 tennis championship of the world, Wimbledon, is directed by Richard Loncraine (“Richard III”, “The Gathering Storm”) and produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Mary Richards and David Livingstone. The script is by Adam Brooks (“French Kiss”).

The story is about Peter (Paul Bettany), a British man clutching to an embarassingly low position on the tennis ranking ladder. He is given a wild card for Wimbledon which is to be his final bow but when he falls in love with a young hot shot American tennis star, Lizzie, (Kirsten Dunst) his on court prowess, skills – and a little luck - catapult him from round to round bringing him closer to his dream of winning the men’s singles title.

The production has been granted unprecedented access by The All England Lawn Tennis Club to film certain scenes during The Championships this year. Filming will then continue at Wimbledon after the tournament and at Shepperton and locations around London.

Working Title, co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, is Europe’s leading film production company. Together, they have made more than 60 films grossing over two billion dollars worldwide including “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, “Fargo”, “Notting Hill”, “Elizabeth”, “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, “Billy Elliot”, “About A Boy” and the current hit “Johnny English”.

Universal Pictures is a division of Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment (VUE) (www.universalstudios.com), the U.S.-based film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

[TennisHack]

The Long Term Plan
Tuesday, April 29, 2003

In furtherance of its aim to keep Wimbledon as the premier tennis tournament in the world, the All England Club continues to invest heavily in improved facilities for the benefit of everyone connected with the event.

Planning permission has been granted to redevelop the turnstile area on the Church Road side of the grounds allowing the creation of some new, much-improved public facilities:

• The Museum’s reputation as the world’s finest tennis museum will be further enhanced through being completely redesigned and relocated in this new building.
  An enlarged and improved Museum shop will be located on the ground floor giving easy access to visitors all year round.
  
• The Ticket Office will also be conveniently situated at ground floor level (rather than second floor at present) for ease of access for visitors.
  
• The new building will allow the Club offices to be consolidated at first floor level bringing improved efficiency.
  The building’s external appearance will be in keeping with the design of the adjacent No.1 Court, with extensive glazing and contributing to the openness of the grounds.
  
• Enabling works are underway and the project is expected to be completed by December 2005.
  
• Vacation of the east side of the Centre Court will permit completion of the refurbishment of the stadium (the other three sides have already been done) and offer the potential to add other new facilities for tennis fans and visitors to The Championships.

Practice courts for The Championships

Eight new grass practice courts have or are in the process of being built, reflecting the players’ wishes both for more practice courts and for such courts be located on site at Wimbledon.

These courts are:

• Two in No.4 Car Park on the lower terrace of Aorangi Park will be in use at this year’s Championships.
  
• Six at the Club’s Southlands College site, adjacent to No.4 Car Park, are under construction and scheduled for use in 2004.

The new courts will complement the 14 existing practice courts in Aorangi Park, 12 at the Bank of England Sports Ground, Roehampton (for qualifying only), and six at the Club’s Raynes Park Sports Ground.


Centre Court Refurbishment

Concrete terracing (rows A-H) between the SW and NE quadrants has been completely rebuilt.


Other

• Toilets: New permanent public toilets by Gate 12 will be completed for The Championships.
  
• High Voltage Power Supply: In order to support the increasing demands on power supplies within the site, a new HV power cable has been connected from some three miles away. The Club now has three independent power sources to guarantee power supplies for broadcasters and all other users.

[TennisHack]

New for The Championships, 2003
Tuesday, April 29, 2003


Middle Saturday

Safety concerns over the size of the Middle Saturday queue have resulted in measures being introduced to try to limit the numbers of people queuing overnight on Friday. The move comes after a review of the queuing operation with the Police and Local Authorities.

The queue has grown to the extent that, in 2002, an estimated 9000 people – an increase of 6000 on other days - camped out overnight in Wimbledon Park and the surrounding areas.

Enormous practical problems of maintaining control and ensuring the health and safety of such numbers (overcrowding in the Park resulted in a serious incident last year) have reached a critical stage.

This year’s arrangements for the middle Saturday will be no different from those on the first nine days of the event:

• The number of Centre Court tickets on sale on the day will be around 500 (as opposed to 2000 last year) in line with No.1 and No.2 Courts.
  
• There will be no discounts for on-day sales.

Wimbledon is the only major sporting event in the UK at which premium tickets are specifically reserved for sale on the day at the turnstiles. The 1500 Centre Court tickets previously allocated for sale on the day will be redistributed on a 50/50 basis to the benefit of the public ballot, which is open to everyone, and British tennis via the The Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) 114 performance clubs.

Chris Gorringe, Chief Executive of the All England Club, says: “The Wimbledon queue has become a legendary part of the event itself and it is a tradition we dearly wish to retain. At the same time we have a serious responsibility for the safety of all those coming to The Championships.

“The huge popularity of Middle Saturday has resulted in overnight queues of nearly unmanageable proportions prompting increasing concern that safety could be compromised if the numbers queuing overnight kept rising. We are therefore introducing measures to try to reduce the numbers and our message to spectators is clear.

“As there will be fewer Centre Court tickets on sale at the gates on the Middle Saturday, you are encouraged not to travel to the Club on Friday night, but to come on Saturday morning instead when there should also be plenty of ground tickets still available at the turnstiles.”

Additional information

• Middle Saturday: Originally introduced by the Committee in 1992 to encourage families and recreate the unique atmosphere of the previous year when play took place on the Middle Sunday for the first time.
  
• Public ballot: Open to everyone. Owing to demand for Wimbledon tickets, the public ballot is still regarded as the fairest way to distribute Show Court tickets. It has always been substantially oversubscribed.
  
• LTA accredited performance clubs: A GB wide network of 114 targeted clubs (anticipated 154 by Wimbledon 2003) with the emphasis firmly on delivery of the best junior performance programmes (see Club Vision at http://www.lta.org.uk).

Security

• There will be NO Left Luggage facilities inside the grounds.
  All Left Luggage facilities will be relocated outside the grounds at several locations on the Golf Course, Car Park 1 and St Mary’s Church car park.
  
• Spectators are advised to bring as little luggage with them as possible.
  
• Spectators should be prepared for extra searches, including of the person, at all entry points.

Wimbledon Film

• The Club has entered into an agreement with the production company Working Title Films to assist in the making of the film Wimbledon, a romantic comedy starring Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman) and Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind).
  
• Some scenes will be filmed during this year’s Championships followed by extensive filming at the Club during July and August.
  
• This film, scheduled for release in autumn 2004, will bring the excitement of tennis to a wider audience and help promote the sport (see separate press release for further details).

Technology at Wimbledon

• Mobile users worldwide will be able to access the Wimbledon website, which will be optimised for their PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).
  
• For the first time dedicated full match commentary from Radio Wimbledon, the Official Championships Radio Station, will be available via www.wimbledon.org.

Park and Ride Service

• A second public Park and Ride service will be introduced this year complementing the existing service based at Motspur Park.
  
• Parking will be at St George’s Park, Wandsworth.
  
• Cost is £10 per car, £15 per minibus.
  
• Free bus transfer provided to and from the Club.

Television

• Two important new contracts have been signed in the USA with NBC and ESPN.
  
• NBC Sports has agreed a four-year extension of its contract making this year its 35th consecutive year as Wimbledon’s network rights holder in the United States.
  
• ESPN has agreed a four-year agreement for television and multimedia coverage of The Championships reaching 87 million homes in the USA.
  
• Together they will provide not only around 150 hours of live TV coverage of The Championships, but also extensive marketing benefits to the Club's official suppliers and merchandising programme in the form of TV commercials on the Wimbledon telecast.

Bowing/Curtseying on Centre Court

Following discussions on the subject over several years and in accordance with the wishes of HRH The Duke of Kent, the Club’s President, it has been agreed that the time is right to discontinue the tradition of players bowing/curtseying to members of the Royal family on entering or leaving the Centre Court. The only exceptions will be for HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales.

Junior Championships

Junior matches will start at 11.00am (as possible) on the outside courts in the second week.

Wheelchair Tennis

Following the popularity of the wheelchair tennis exhibition matches that have been staged on Court 14 on the morning of the Ladies’ Singles Final, an additional wheelchair tennis exhibition match is scheduled to be played on Sunday 6 July, ahead of the Men’s Singles Final.

Practice Courts

In accordance with the players’ wishes to be able to practise on site, two more practice courts on the Lower Terrace in Car Park 4 will be available in Aorangi Park, bringing the on-site total to 16
A further six grass courts for 2004 are under construction at the Club’s Southlands College site, which is adjacent to the other practice courts in Aorangi Park.

Coin Tossing Ceremonies

• Young people from nominated charities will again perform the coin toss before each of the Singles’ Finals.
  
• The Stroke Association has been nominated by Miss Angela Mortimer (Ladies’ Singles Champion 1961) for the Ladies’ Final on 5 July.
  
• SPARKS (SPort Aiding medical Research for KidS) has been nominated by Mr Buzzer Hadingham (former Chairman of the Club) for the Men’s Final on 6 July.

[TennisHack]

Prize Money for the 2003 Championships
Tuesday, April 29, 2003

Wimbledon today announced a 9.5% increase in singles prize money (including the qualifying competition) at the 2003 Championships (23rd June - 6th July). The Gentlemen's Champion will receive £575,000 (£525,000 in 2002) and the Ladies' Champion £535,000 (£486,500 in 2002).

Prize Money in all other events remains at the same level as last year.

The total prize money will be £9,373,990.

In addition, all players at The Championships receive 'per diem' payments, to help with the cost of accommodation, travel and other expenses - especially important for the younger players at the beginning of their careers. Wimbledon continues to contribute towards the pre- and post-Championships grass court tournaments that form an integral part of the grass court circuit.

Tim Phillips, Chairman of the All England Club and The Championships, said: "Leading athletes in top spectator sports such as tennis are rightly well rewarded for their outstanding talent and the entertainment they bring us. To reflect market forces, Wimbledon, this year, is paying a substantial increase to Singles' competitors while holding doubles' prize money at last year's level. International professional tennis nowadays is incredibly competitive, requiring great dedication and hard work by all the players. Wimbledon tries to reflect this in both the prize money and the facilities it provides to the players."

[TennisHack]

Wimbledon Shoulder Charge for Henman
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


Tim Henman, the British No.1, was sidelined for more than three months after surgery to the area surrounding his right scapula on his shoulder, but he remains upbeat about his chances of emulating the late Fred Perry and winning Wimbledon.

The fact Perry was the last Briton to succeed in lifting the men's singles title at The Championships when completing his hat‑trick of triumphs is etched deep within Henman's psyche. After all he is reminded of it prior to each staging of the world's greatest tennis tournament.

Yet he has been unfazed by the size of the task despite the injury, which has at least lowered the burden of expectation he has carried after emerging as the home country's best male player since the Perry dominated in his long white trousers.

Henman said: "There is a lot of depth in men's tennis and there will be many dangerous players in the draw. Whoever wins it will have to work hard and played extremely well to walk away with the title but I see no reason why it can't be me.

"Wimbledon is my No.1 goal every year and this year it is no different. I love playing Wimbledon. It is the tournament I've dreamed about winning since I was a kid. It was my first driving force in tennis and still is."

Match practice, though, has been limited. His return to action was delayed until mid‑February and Rotterdam, which saw the first of four opening match defeats (with the others following in Dubai, Miami and Rome). But victories over American Jan‑Michael Gambill in Indian Wells and Nicolas Lapentti, from Ecuador, in Munich gave Henman encouragement.

And a run into the last 16 in Hamburg and the Third Round at Roland Garros (where he looked impressive before being knocked out by Juan Carlos Ferrero) has heightened his confidence.

He said: "I want to play as many matches as possible to build it up and then I think the results will take care of themselves."

Henman insists that the shoulder would not provide a psychological block. He said: "I had to have surgery because I could not hit any shots above the shoulder or serve properly but I am very pleased with how my injury has healed. I was nervous about it when I first started playing again but after having no reaction at all following my first few matches I don't really think about it anymore and I'm hitting the ball great in practice.

"Hamburg was a good test for it. It seemed absolutely fine although the conditions were slow and it was freezing too. If my shoulder can hold up in those circumstances then fingers crossed it should hold up anywhere.

Now I just want to stay injury free and concentrate on getting stronger and fitter."

Henman reached world No.4 last July before his enforced break and his standing, naturally, tumbled. Prior to Roland Garros he ranked 28th in world.

But he can justify optimism.

Henman as always had more reason than most to feel a close affinity to Wimbledon as his grandfather, Henry Billington, reached the third round and great grandmother Ellen Stawell Brown was the first lady to serve over-arm at The Championships, in 1901.

The tournament has always drawn the best out of him. Four semi‑final appearances, all lost to the eventual champion, Pete Sampras twice in 1998 and 1999, Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 and, last year, Lleyton Hewitt, is testament to that. There is also his stunning victory over reigning French Open champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov in 1996 which he rates as his best Wimbledon win.

It also helps that grass remains his favourite surface, being a serve and volleyer with a decent‑sized game and a delicate touch. But Henman appreciates more baseliners are adapting to altered lawns.

He said: "It always has been although the courts and balls have slowed recently and that means having to have the elements of power and finesse in your armoury and know when you use them at the right moment.

"But it is a unique surface and I have a chance of beating anybody on it regardless of my seeding although I'd like to be seeded as high as possible."

[TennisHack]

Goran wants Centre Court Swansong
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Men's Singles Champion, wants to finish his career on Centre Court, after missing his opportunity to defend his crown because of injury.

The left shoulder operation he underwent last year has not completely cured the problem but Ivanisevic is desperate for at least one last hurrah at the world's most famous tennis tournament.

He said: "If I could choose my last point, ace, breaking racket, match it would be on the Centre Court at Wimbledon.

"If I have one wish in life that would be it. I could say I've had a great career and my last match was on the best court in tennis history in the world in front of a great crowd. I'd be happy. I wouldn't have to play again."

Ivanisevic has always had an affinity with the tournament.

He said: "As a kid of eight, I watched Wimbledon. The final was between John McEnroe, a hero and another lefty who liked throwing his racket around, and Connors. It was the biggest tennis tournament for me, there was something about the grass. It was my dream to go there on day.

"When I first went in 1988 I was alone with no coach and not much money and I was too shy to ask anyone to warm up with me.

"I sneaked into Centre Court for a look, I didn't have a ticket. But I was already happy to have achieved my goal to step on a Wimbledon court by qualifying and being in the changing room with all the big names.

"I played my first match on Centre Court against Boris Becker in the semi finals two years later. I told myself to relax, don't worry. I lost the match but it was a greatest feeling ever when I first stepped on to that court."

That's when his love affair with British tennis fans blossomed.

"Me and English crowd get on well. The English are temperamental, look at the football supporters going wild. They like me because I am temperamental, different.

"Like McEnroe, if someone is beating me he is my enemy and I have to do something like throw my racket, get a warning, talk to umpire, talk to the the crowd. I don't like to lose. I have to find something that works for me, although sometimes I hurt myself. But I can't help the way I become aggressive, crazy. I can't keep everything inside me and the crowd give me great support. They cheer for me."

Ivanisevic is grateful for the way in which Wimbledon victory changed his life.

"I haven't changed but everything around me has. It is as if I hadn't played all those years before. Everything is about Wimbledon, Wimbledon, Wimbledon. People recognise your face as Wimbledon champion. I'm told 'be careful what you do because you're Wimbledon champion'. I am a club member now. That is a great thing. In the future I can bring my kids to the club and they will be proud of me for what I have done at Wimbledon."

The memories of his victory remain fresh and unforgettable, especially the extra Monday that saw him overcome Pat Rafter in the final played in an atmosphere pumped full of emotion...

"It was the most magical 15 days of my life. I'd lost three finals and had been losing many first rounds including Queen's when I played so bad. I was like a ghost. No one was talking about me but I kept winning. When I played Tim Henman in the semi finals he had all the pressure about being the first Briton since Fred Perry to win Wimbledon. Henman was up and rain came at the right time for me and I told myself it wasn't over.

"I beat Patrick on my fourth match point in my fourth final. It was the perfect scenario.

"I'd said If I ever win Wimbledon I would have to go up into the guests' box like Pat Cash. what he did was cool. But when I did I didn't know what to do. But my legs took me up and I followed! Everybody was so happy"

Ivanisevic accepts nothing will better it. He said: "I want to come back to Wimbledon even if I have to walk to London. It killed me I couldn't defend my title last year and I didn't want to return without a racket in my hand.

"But I don't think it would be as special as two years ago. It is something you can expect just once in your life.

"All those years I was supposed to win and didn't and then everyone saying my chance had gone. Then I win and come home and 150,000 people welcome me. It was a great party for me, two days of celebrations, unbelievable. I don't think it can be as good again, although I'd be a very happy man to celebrate once more!"

Ivanisevic is one of tennis' most passionate players and it is unsurprising that he has been motivated by highly charged emotional forces throughout his career.

"All my life I've played for someone else. First, my sister was very sick so I played for her. War came in my country and that was great motivation for me. After that I was empty with no one to play for. Then I decided to play for myself. I deserved it. I owed it to myself and I won Wimbledon.

"Now, I have daughter pretty soon before Wimbledon so I think I would play for her."

He thinks his cause might be strengthened as a wild card. "I needed one when I won. Maybe they can give me another one and I'll win again!"

Ivanisevic would also demand the same parking spot and repeats of "Teletubbies", a children's programme, on television so he can re-enact his routines of 2001.

"I've always been superstitious, especially at Wimbledon. I've done some crazy things. If I don't do one of these seven, eight things I've picked I'm going to lose the match. I panicked two hours before my final in 2001. I couldn't get into the car park I'd used every day. When I got in someone was parked under the tree I'd parked every day and the rest of the car park was empty! I managed to squeeze under it and only then could I practice."

Ivanisevic, bashful as he spoke, will take his eccentric ways, charisma, humour and huge serves away from the public arena sooner rather than later. At 31, time is running out fast on his career. Plagued with persistent shoulder injuries for the past two seasons, it's likely that the forthcoming Championships will be his last chance at reclaiming his Wimbledon title. "I'm slowly falling apart," he admitted. "I don't know how long my shoulder is going to survive."

He has already made a most unexpected comeback from being a serial first round loser to Wimbledon champion. But a second journey to the summit might be beyond him if his persistent shoulder problem forces him to postpone his return to The Championships in June. He is yet to commit.

Ivanisevic said: "I'll do everything to get there but I'm not going to say '100 per cent I'll come to Wimbledon' because last time I said I'd come, I didn't. Say 70 per cent, so I can leave 30 for not coming."

[TennisHack]

Wimbledon Farewell for Sampras?
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


The commanding presence of Pete Sampras, seven times champion, will be missing from the 2003 Wimbledon championships. For the first time in 15 years Sampras will not be competing, having acquired an unchallenged record at the All England Club of 63 wins and seven defeats.

Sampras, who will be 32 in August, has not played since winning the US Open for the fifth time in September last year but has said that that he knows what it takes for him to be competitive and has made his decision on Wimbledon on that basis.

Sampras holds a record 14 Grand Slam titles and has won the great titles of the game as a teenager, in his twenties, and again in his thirties, a feat matched only the Australian Ken Rosewall.

Sampras' run of Grand Slam victories began and ended at the US Open where, in 1990, he defeated Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, and Andre Agassi in the last three rounds. In 2002 he beat Agassi again in the final, ending a run of 33 tournaments without a win.

Sampras had a low key start in 1989 at Wimbledon and in his first three years won only one match. But what was to become an almost unbreakable grip on the Wimbledon title began with his first win in 1993 which he backed up in 1994 and 1995.

Although he was beaten in the 1996 quarter‑finals by the Dutchman Richard Krajicek, who went on to become champion, Sampras regained command in 1997 and won for four more years running.

If the 2000 victory proves to be his last it will remain as one of the most riveting stories of winning Wimbledon. As early as the second round, Sampras had problems with tendonitis in his left shin and foot and could only practice on one day for the rest of the championships.

But Sampras prevailed, playing all of his seven matches on the Centre Court, and losing his renowned serve just five times. But in the final, against another great grass court exponent, Pat Rafter of Australia, Sampras was down a set and behind 4‑1 in the second set tie break. The fingers of doubt were beginning to point at him.

But from that relatively weak position Sampras went on to claim the title. He turned the tie break in his favour, saw Rafter make two errors to fall behind in the third set, and pulled ahead in the fourth when Rafter misjudged a backhand from Sampras on a third break point and Sampras was ahead 3‑2. The winning score for Sampras was 6‑7 (10-12), 7‑6 (7-5), 6‑4, 6‑2.

Sampras had asked his parents, Sam and Georgia, to come to Wimbledon for the first time after he had won his semi‑final over Vladimir Voltchkov and they duly flew in from Los Angeles to see a rain‑interrupted final which spanned almost six hours before an emotional Sampras stood on the darkening Centre Court as champion.

Sampras said of his parents: "I've always wanted them to see me play here and it means so much to me that they are here," he said. And he reminded the crowd: "I love Wimbledon, I love playing here. This
is the best court in the world. "

John Barrett, the senior commentator at Wimbledon for BBC‑TV, said: "I first saw Pete Sampras when he was 16 and you just knew he was a kid a with great talent. He had only just switched to a single handed backhand but you could see that the potential was enormous.

"In his first years at Wimbledon he did not know how to return on grass and had little confidence on grass. But Tim Gullikson, his coach, taught him how to do that and the rest followed. He had the perfect game for grass and he had the great strength of being able to depend on his second serve and
could serve that at 120 mph without blinking.

"He played an exceptional final against Andre Agassi in 1999 and followed up against Pat Rafter in 2000 when he was almost out on his feet. Will his record be broken? You can never say never, records are there to be broken."

Roger Taylor, the British Davis Cup captain and three times a Wimbledon semi‑finalist, said: "Pete has one of the greatest serves I have ever seen. The second serve is the key to any tennis player and how you use it to deal with tight situations.

"My first memory of realising that Sampras was something special was seeing him beat Agassi for his first US Open title. It was a brilliant performance. At Wimbledon nobody thought that anyone would beat Bjorn Borg's achievement of five titles - but Pete did. Everyone knows how difficult it is to win one Wimbledon. But Pete was so much at home on that big stage."

The Sampras record at Wimbledon:

1989. Lost first round, Todd Woodbridge

1990. Lost first round, Christo van Rensburg

1991. Lost second round, Derrick Rostagno

1992. Semi final, lost Goran Ivanisevic

1993. Champion, beat Jim Courier, final

1994. Champion, beat Goran Ivanisevic, final

1995. Champion, beat Boris Becker, final

1996. Quarter final, lost Richard Krajicek

1997. Champion, beat Cedric Pioline, final

1998. Champion, beat Goran Ivanisevic, final

1999. Champion, beat Andre Agassi, final

2000. Champion, beat Pat Rafter, final

2001. Fourth round, lost Roger Federer

2002. Second round, lost George Bastl

[TennisHack]

Federer Express Rushing To The Top
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


It was on Wimbledon's Centre Court two years ago that Roger Federer first announced himself to the sporting world at large by defeating the seven-time champion Pete Sampras in a dramatic five-setter, halting the great American's 31-match winning streak at The Championships.

But by then the man nicknamed 'The Federer Express' had already established himself on the circuit before he was out of his teens, thus fulfilling the youthful promised shown when he became world junior champion in 1998 and won the Wimbledon title.

Within a year of embarking on his professional career, the tall, well-built Federer shot almost 250 places up the ATP rankings to end 1999 at 64th. That year marked his Davis Cup debut for Switzerland and his Wimbledon debut, a first round exit, which was also his fate the following year.

By the end of 2000 Federer's thunderous forehand and ability to do well on any surface had carried him inside the top 50. He reached two ATP finals, the first of his career, losing to his fellow-Swiss, Marc Rosset, in Marseilles and to Thomas Enqvist in his birthplace, Basle. He also represented his homeland in the Sydney Olympics, losing the bronze medal match to Arnaud Di Pasquale.

The steady improvement was maintained in 2001, as Federer became Swiss number one, offering his compatriots the chance to cheer someone other than Martina Hingis. It was also the year Federer collected his first injury, a groin strain which sidelined him for six weeks.

This setback could not halt the rapid rise of "The Express" who collected his first title in Milan and finished runner-up in Rotterdam and, once more, Basle. The Grand Slams were coming into Federer's reckoning, too.

He was a quarter-finalist on the clay of Roland Garros, and at Wimbledon, having famously toppled Sampras, he then lost to Tim Henman in a four-set quarter-final. Following that injury lay-off, Federer was beaten by Andre Agassi in the fourth round of the US Open.

So already there were already highly encouraging signs that he was getting close to the very best in the game. He was also a hero in his homeland after scoring all three points in the Davis Cup victory over the United States.

It was, of course, inevitable that last year should see the improvement escalate, culminating in a place inside the top ten and an appearance at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai. He won a total of 82 matches (58 singles, 24 doubles) and was champion at three tournaments, Sydney, Vienna and Hamburg.

There was also ongoing Davis Cup success. Despite Switzerland's exit to the eventual champions, Russia, Federer won all four singles last year and has won all four again so far this season, helping to propel his nation past the strongly-fancied French and into the competition's semi-finals.

Wimbledon last year proved, for the third time in four attempts, a fleeting visit as he went out in his first match to the Croatian teenager, Mario Ancic. But again he got to the fourth round at the US Open and in Shanghai it took the eventual winner, Lleyton Hewitt, to halt him.

Expectations were by now enormous and he said, "I get introduced everywhere as 'the future No.1', but there are no titles for being the future No.1 or the player who once beat Sampras at Wimbledon. A lot of people don't understand how hard I have to work to make tennis look as easy as people say I make it look.

"I want to win every event I enter. I don't enter any of them just to prepare for Grand Slams, which is the approach I used to have and which didn't work for me."

Which is why Federer's 2003 form has been the most impressive of his young career. Three tournaments were won (Marseilles, Munich and Dubai) but there were signs of a let-down when he lost the Rome final in straight sets to Felix Mantilla. This was confirmed by his shock first round loss in the French Open. No wonder he says, with relish, "I fancy my chances better at Wimbledon."

[TennisHack]

Now the Belgians Are Famous At Last
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


In the women’s game Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne, who contested the first all-Belgian Grand Slam final at the French Open this month, have made such massive progress that they are ranked second and third respectively, having achieved the considerable feat of dividing the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, in those rankings

And on the men’s side Belgium produced a semi-finalist at The Championships last year in Xavier Malisse, who height contrasts vividly with the Rochus brothers, Olivier and Christophe, but who has teamed with them to give the country a fine Davis Cup squad.

Then, of course, we must not forget Kim Clijsters' younger sister, Elke, already ranked world number one in junior doubles.

The biggest headlines have come on the women’s side with the soaring success of Clijsters and Henin, who married Pierre Yves Hardenne at the end of last year. Almost exactly a year separates the two girls, with Henin celebrating her 21st birthday at the beginning of June and Clijsters becoming 20 seven days later.

They are separated more noticeably in height, with Clijsters a well-built 5ft 9in and Henin, even in her trademark white cap, a slim 5ft 5in. However, despite their differing physiques, both have beaten world number one Serena Williams in recent months, suggesting that Belgian could challenge her dominance over the women’s game.

Kim defeated both Williamses at the season’s-end WTA Championships last November to win that prestigious title, while Justine became the first player to beat Serena this year at the Charleston tournament and then overcame her again in the French Open semi-finals.

Both women have shown that crucial ability to be able to perform well on all surfaces. Henin was runner-up at Wimbledon in 2001 and a semi-finalist last year, while Clijsters reached the last eight at The Championships in 2001 and the fourth round last year.

But it is the French Open, where Belgium’s glory became complete in front of the nation’s king, Albert II, with Henin winning the race to capture her first Grand Slam. As for Kim, she has now appeared in two Roland Garros finals, so clearly the ultimate step of a major title will not be far away for her, either.

This year Henin has won four titles and Clijsters three. In addition to the French Open, Henin is the champion of Dubai, Charleston and Berlin, while Clijsters triumphed in Sydney, Indian Wells and Rome, with the Berlin final, like the French, being an all-Belgian one as Justine beat Kim 6-4 4-6 7-5.

The Indian Wells victory was a unique one for Clijsters, since the men’s title was won by Lleyton Hewitt, her boy friend for the last three and a half years. Kim has famously, and repeatedly, said she does not care whether or not she becomes world number one. The priorities for this girl who has a former Belgian Footballer of the Year (Leo) for a father and an ex-international gymnast (Els) for a mother, is to stay healthy and happy.

Similar sentiments can be heard from Justine, who has overcome the devastating blow of losing her mother to cancer when she was only 12 and whose priorities lie in eventually having a family. Meantime, however, there are tennis titles to be won by both of these supremely talented Belgians.

Malisse, 6ft 1in and ponytailed, last year became the first Belgian to finish in the men’s top 25. That semi-final appearance at Wimbledon was his highlight of 2002, a rain-delayed five-set marathon contest in which his medical condition, an irregular heartbeat, required treatment before he eventually lost to David Nalbandian.

Of the Rochus brothers, the younger Olivier has been the most successful to date, having won the Palermo title two years ago. This 22-year-old lost in the Copenhagen final in February, while the 24-year-old Christophe was runner-up to Juan Carlos Ferrero on the clay of Valencia last month.

[TennisHack]

Don't Cry for Argentina
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


Though the sizeable group of Spaniards on the men’s tour are popularly referred to as “the Armada” there is another fast-increasing fleet making the headlines for considerable achievement – the players of Argentina. The all-round ability of Argentina’s armada was graphically illustrated at The Championships last summer when, on his Wimbledon debut, David Nalbandian reached the final.

Their “home” surface of clay is, naturally, where the men of Argentina excel (illustrated by Guillermo Coria’s exploits in the French Open this year) but Nalbandian’s success, joyfully reported back home as an antidote to the nation’s disappointing showing in the football World Cup, was an example of how that country is again establishing itself as a power in global tennis.


This season Argentina can boast five players in the top 25 and a total of eight in the top 50, with Nalbandian and Guillermo Coria leading the way, followed by Agustin Calleri, Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Canas, Juan Ignacio Chela, Mariano Zabaleta and Jose Acasuso.

There are even more of them a little further down the ranking list, but that top-50 total is the best of any country, better than the United States, better even than those prolific Spanish.

Though it should not – and certainly will not – be forgotten that Argentina also produced a female tennis icon in the statuesque beauty, Gabriela Sabatini, the fountainhead for the new “Argie army” is beyond doubt the marvellous Guillermo Vilas, winner of 62 titles, including four Grand Slams (two Australian, one French and one US Open) in the Seventies and early Eighties.

The influence of Vilas on the game in his homeland is shown by the fact that two of the present bunch, Coria and Canas, were named by their parents after Guillermo the Great.

It is Coria who has proved narrowly the best of them on the tour so far this year, having won the Masters Series event in Hamburg and been runner-up at another TMS tournament, Monte Carlo, and his hometown event in Buenos Aires.

That Hamburg occasion was an historic one, with all four semi-final places filled by Argentinians, the first time this had happened at a Masters Series for 13 years, the others to reach the final four being Nalbandian, Calleri and the runner-up, Gaudio.

Coria was the first from Argentina to win in Hamburg since Vilas in 1978 and said, “It is very nice to follow in those famous footsteps but all of us are still very far from his achievements. I will be happy if I achieve half of what Vilas did.”

What Vilas did not manage, of course was great success at Wimbledon, where he was twice a quarter-finalist (1975 and 1976) before largely giving up on grass court tennis and ending with a 15-11 record at the Championships.

As Nalbandian showed so dramatically last summer, there is no such inhibition among the present generation. Tito Vasquez, a former Argentinian player and Davis Cup captain who now works for the Lawn Tennis Association in Britain, was responsible for recruiting Nalbandian to the Argentina junior squad.

“Nalbandian and Coria are two of the best we have had in a long, long time,” said Vasquez. “They are very competitive and have the modern game adaptable to all surfaces, and they have proved that by winning different events.”

Nalbandian, in fact, reached the Wimbledon junior semi-finals in 1999 before suffering the misfortune of being defaulted because he had misheard the starting time of his match. So he went into last year’s final against Lleyton Hewitt with the curious record of being unbeaten in match play on the grass of London SW19.

As can be imagined, Argentina’s Davis Cup squad is spoiled for choice and their semi-final against Spain in September should be a stunner. As Nalbandian quite rightly pointed out, “Argentina can make two or three teams, all of them good.”

True enough. So far this year Argentina may have won just two titles (Calleri in Acapulco and Coria in Hamburg) but they have also produced five runners-up and clearly are going to be an armada to be reckoned with on any surface.

[TennisHack]

Champion Hewitt is the Man to Beat
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


Minutes after lifting the most coveted crown in men's tennis with victory over David Nalbandian last year, opening proceedings on Centre Court in 2003 seemed miles from Lleyton Hewitt’s thoughts.

When asked whether he had more Grand Slam victories in him he replied: "Oh, I hope so. But, you know, I haven't really thought about it at the moment. If I can play this well for other Grand Slams, then I can't see why not. But, you know, at the moment, I really don't care."

But he cares all right. His Octagon manager Tom Ross insists the Grand Slams and the Davis Cup, are his client's chief goals for this year and Hewitt has re‑adjusted his timetable this year to rest and ensure he is at his peak in body and mind for the The Championships.

Even so, it has been a roller‑coaster 12 months for Hewitt. He has become embroiled in a dispute with ATP Tour over not fulfilling a post-match interview obligation in Cincinatti last August, lost his world No.1 ranking to Andre Agassi in April this year after 75 weeks in the top slot and his physically demanding style on‑court has provoked concerns for his long‑term tennis future after a series of health problems and fatigue this year..

Hewitt's scampering, never‑say‑die, chest‑thumping baseline game often ensures that each point is a long, drawn out showdown. Fellow countryman Rod Laver, the four times Wimbledon champion, said after Hewitt's surprise last‑16 defeat against Younes El Aynaoui at the Australian Open in January: "He'll eventually have to get to the net a little more often because he's going to find himself wearing out. You're just not going to be able to run like he's done the last three or four years."

But 22‑year‑old Hewitt has listened to his body and his medical advice. He eased off the throttle of a punishing tournament and training schedule and opted to miss Monte Carlo and Rome after two early‑season tournament victories in the United States at Scottsdale and Indian Wells.

The break refreshed him and it was noticeable on his return to competition in Hamburg that he was as fit and hungry for competition as ever (also evident later in a World Team Cup win over Carlos Moya of Spain).

In two long encounters, he became entangled in a dispute with an umpire on his way to defeating Arnaud Clement and reached the last 16 where he was edged out by Fernando Gonzalez from Chile.

Hewitt said: "Considering I've been had a few weeks off it was probably the best preparation going into the French Open. Having two long, back‑to‑back matches, I feel as good as ever."

And, in turn, of course, knowing he can sustain his match tightness despite time off while remaining healthy boosted his spirits for Wimbledon too.

His first coach, Pete Smith, said: "He (Lleyton) has a deep‑seated feel for the history and fibre of the game."

This was clear in his emotions after beating Nalbandian. Hewitt was humbled to be congratulated by Australian greats such as Neale Fraser, Frank Sedgeman and Ken Rosewell afterwards because of what they represented to him and his country.

Hewitt was the first Australian at Wimbledon since Pat Cash in 1987 – the player who’s success on Centre Court 15 years previously inspired Hewitt to take up tennis. When he met Cash in the aftermath he admitted he felt "disbelief" at his own win. Hewitt even copied Cash with a walkabout up to the guest’s box to hug coaches and friends.

One year on from taking the Men’s Singles title at the All England Club, Hewitt will be an even more formidable prospect and will have just one thing on his mind as he steps on Centre Court for his opening match: victory.

[TennisHack]

One to Watch: Rafael Nadal
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


Last year those visitors attending the second week of The Championships, who took time out to look at the juniors, would have been one of the first to see a youngster destined for the big time.

Rafael Nadal made the semi-finals in the boy’s singles and as Spanish natives tend to distrust the natural surface, that should be viewed as quite an achievement. His game is big and there was no doubt that once he filled out he would produce the necessary results to make an impact on the world rankings.

Little did one expect that within the space of months rather than years, this baby-faced player would be doing just that – and all this at the age of sixteen (his birthday was on 3rd June)

Although he did not play at Roland Garros due to injury, in the week prior to the French Open, he had risen to 74 in senior world terms and stood 69th in The Champions’ Race itself.

“I didn’t think it would happen so fast,” he admitted. “I have to continue trying and working hard – things are not stopping here – you have to keep working to play better and better.”

He really came to the public’s attention when he reached the round of 16 at Monte Carlo, the first of the Tennis Masters Series to be played in Europe this year, collecting the scalps of Slovakia’s Karol Kucera and compatriot Albert Costa, the reigning French Open champion before succumbing to another rising star, Argentina’s Guillermo Coria,

He also contested Hamburg where he reached the same stage with another run of straight set wins, this time over the Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu and the second seed Carlos Moya, his idol.

“That was really something special but I would have preferred to have beaten someone else at the same level as Moya, as he is someone I have always admired.”

At six feet tall, he is strongly built but he does not rely on the power game. He is a gifted stroke maker and has a good tactical brain though, not surprisingly, lacks experience but with the work ethic he professes, that will soon be corrected.

In the meantime he remains a realist stating for instance, after his defeat of Moya, that he didn’t believe he could go further. “I played a great match today, and I really hope I can go further but it’s going to be very difficult. I’ll keep on fighting until the end and will always try to play well but it doesn’t always depend on me if I win or lose, it also depends on my opponents.”

On that occasion he lost to Gaston Gaudio – possibly the best Argentine on the current pro-circuit – and was only allowed four games.

Nadal started early and was spotted by his uncle, his coach. A natural sportsman and Real Madrid fan, his touch and feel for the racket and ball were evident from an early age. He was nurtured by his uncle Miguel Angel Nadal, a former international football player and became the Spanish tennis champion twice at 11 and 12 years of age.

He recently finished his schooling at secondary level but continues to study - though it is becoming increasingly more difficult as he is now rarely at home. “When I go back to classes I’m a bit lost,” he admitted, “but I am still trying.”

He is a youngster on the move with the top ten firmly in sight, a fact which his idol Moya, a fellow Mallorcan, endorses by stating that he has never seen a player of his age play so well. “Well. I’m very grateful to him for saying such nice things about me, but I believe there are others playing at my age playing at the same level,” responded the self-effacing Nadal.

Certainly a player to watch.

[TennisHack]

Ambassador Srichaphan Leads the Way
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


When Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand defeated Andre Agassi, in a shock win over the 1992 singles champion during last year’s Championships, he was thrust into the spotlight as a figurehead not just for his country, but also for Asia as a whole (where tennis is a rapidly growing sport).

It has been a hectic year for Srichaphan, who will be 24 on June 14. Two tournament victories and two runner-ups helped pave the way as he became the first Thai to became the first player from Asia to finish in the top 20 since India's Vijay Armitraj in 1980. If that wasn’t enough, in November Srichaphan was made a cultural ambassador and given a diplomatic passport.

Despite the time difference, Wimbledon hugely popular in Asia and his success during last year’s Championships was well received across the continent. "Asians hold Wimbledon in high esteem and it is great for the kids to have someone to look up to."

The 6ft1in and 12st12lb Srichaphan feels his chances of making another impression at the All England Club will be aided by keeping a busy schedule in the build-up. He said: "Everyone is after me a bit on the tour this year after my successes last year but I keep confident by playing lots of matches. That's when I play my best tennis."

But, while Srichaphan can set major goals, he has the advantage of many from his continent because of his height and physicality, says Uthra Shunmugam, executive director of the Asian Tennis Federation.

He said: "We have smaller physical attributes which means we lack power in a power game. There's also the problem of inadequate tournaments, although this is improving, and the travel costs are too high."

He feels it will be difficult for Asia to rival those continents already dominant in tennis, particularly on the men's singles circuit, because of these limitations.

"I do not think we have the numbers to match them and the culture for sport is very different, although it has been seen we have got a couple of players who on their day can match the best in the world.

"Look at last year. Apart from the scalping of Agassi by Paradorn there was nothing too exciting on the world circuit from us.

"I don't think we will achieve much more than we did last year in singles and Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, from India, have split."

Shunmugam feels Wimbledon might reflect this in the male-only competitions.

He said: "I think Paradorn's effort against Agassi was a flash in the pan. I don't see anybody, in general, coming through this year, although Hyung-Taik Lee, from Korea has no doubt done exceedingly well."

Even the boys' singles, in which Paes, in 1990, followed a host of Asian champions in the event that included father and son Ramanathan and Ramesh Krishnan, is not ripe for success, says Shunmugam. "We haven't a junior who can cause a surprise,” he said.

Shunmugam is more positive about the chances of Asian women at Wimbledon which has a tradition of reasonable achievement in recent years.

In the girls' singles, Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn (1995), Uzbekistan's Iroda Tulyaganova (1999) and Indonesian Angelique Widjaja (2001) have emerged champions.

And Japan's Kimiko Date reached the semi-finals of the senior event in 1996 when compatriot Ai Sugiyama, who has beaten Steffi Graf, Mary Pierce, Jennifer Capriati and Martina Hingis, reached the last 16.

Shunmugam said: "Ai Sugiyama has done well and Tamarine Tanasugarn has consistently reach the fourth round of Wimbledon over the last few years."

He feels Asia's best bet is hinted at in the success of Asian players in mixed doubles. Paes combined with Lisa Raymond to take the Wimbledon title in 1999 and the Australian Open with Martina Navratilova this year. Meanwhile, Bhupathi took the Wimbledon title last year with Elena Likhovtseva.

He said that the advantages for Asians is that their “excellent racket work, good hands and court craft which can be used in doubles which doesn't rely so much on power. Paes, with Navratilova, can make an impact this year."

Shunmugam has a sense of perspective; pragmatic rather than pessimistic. And he believes Asian tennis is moving forward.

He said: "There is no doubt that the quality and quantity has risen quite dramatically over the last five years. National associations are now more professional than they were a couple of years ago and they are doing much to promote tennis at grassroots level.

"Considering the diversity of the Asian region and the standards, we are making progress.

Development is pretty fast in some countries, like Uzbekistan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipai and China.

"Asia has a lot of potential and is a growing sport. I know the tennis world hopes it will come through as it will be good for the sport.

"The fact it has so much scope makes my job very exciting. It gives me a lot of joy."

Shunmugam, based in Singapore, is looking forward to return to Wimbledon.

"I've been going there for 14 years. It is my favourite Grand Slam and I have a lot of personal friends there."

He will enjoy the social side and hopes on court activities will give him a few reasons to maintain Asian tennis is moving forward. And maybe Srichaphan might surprise him and inspire a few more to follow him.

[TennisHack]

Rusedski Glad to be Back after Injuries
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


Greg Rusedski, goes into Wimbledon forced to aim his sights lower because of a nine‑month break through injury.

The British No.2 eased himself back into competition at the French Open before returning grass at Surbiton where he played on surface for the first time since losing to Belgium's Xavier Malisse in the fourth round of The Championships last year.

His problems, which have included foot and knee surgery, made him consider retirement, for a fleeting moment. But Rusedski has put the nightmare he endured with his physical health behind him while maintaining a sense of perspective.

He has reached the last 16 four times and in 1997 made it to the quarter‑finals.

Yet he not building his hopes of a comparable run a few months short of his 30th birthday.

He said: "I'll be there (at Wimbledon) and I'll be healthy, it might be a little too soon. I don't think there should be that great an expectation on myself this year because it's highly unrealistic after missing such a long period and coming into a major championship having only two and a half weeks to prepare. It's not a long time.

"I've kept my shape, I'm a little bit lighter. I've tried to work on different areas from my diet to my fitness as much as is humanly possibly but you can't substitute playing in a competitive match.

"Paris was a big step for me just getting on the court (against Russian Nikolay Davydenko) and finishing the match, I played pretty well in the first two sets against. Even though I didn't win it was a huge hurdle coming off the court healthy."

He is adopting a laidback attitude to his 11th singles campaign at Wimbledon.

Rusedski said: "You have to be hungry but you have to be relaxed, I was trying so hard in the last nine months to get back, you wouldn't believe, then every time I get knocked down. Now I'm taking a more relaxed approach and hopefully that will help me out. Go with the flow and be a little more relaxed."

Rusedski certainly felt frustration as the comeback road produced a series of false starts

"When I stopped I was playing the best tennis of my career so that made it really difficult,” he said. “Then I got fed up after I got injured in Zagreb after the surgery I'd had."

That's when the dark cloud descended and he considered quitting: "For about five seconds then I said no I have a good job so I might as well keep it. Hopefully that (the injury trouble) is over now and I can just look to the future and do the best I possibly can for Wimbledon."

Rusedski does not think it is too late to succeed at The Championships.

He said: "I'll have to wait and see what happens. They said Goran Ivanisevic would never manage to fulfill his potential and he managed it (winning in 2001). So there's still hope for me yet."

[TennisHack]

Hantuchova Aims High
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


Daniela Hantuchova has enjoyed not inconsiderable success at Wimbledon, winning the Mixed Doubles event in 2001. However, in last year’s Championships she broke through in the singles, eventually bowing out in the Quarter-Finals to the eventual champion, Serena Williams.

5ft 11in Hantuchova is in the chasing pack behind Serena and her sister Venus, but the twenty-year-old Slovakian believes she can tap into the experience of reaching last year's Quarter‑Final.

She said: "It was a great tournament for me (she also reached the mixed doubles Final with Zimbabwean Kevin Ulyett). It was the first time I had made the final eight in the singles and I got to take on one of the top players in Serena with the fantastic crowd behind me. It was exciting and something I can learn from.

"My English coach Nigel (Sears) told me that there'd be a lot written about me in the papers (like comparisons to the glamorous image of fellow player Anna Kournikova) but I was pleased they could also talk about my tennis.

"I played Venus in the quarter‑finals of the Australian Open this year so have shown I can play against these top players. The sisters might be more experienced and be more powerful but I've got other things in my game and I am developing them.

"I'm really looking to coming back to Wimbledon. It is exciting to me."

Hantuchova believes the work she has done with Sears will benefit her campaign over the fortnight. She said: "Nigel has improved my techniques and mental attitudes as well as helping to make me stronger physically."

Hantuchova has had a consistent year, also making the last eight in Sydney, the Paris Indoor, Charleston, Amelia Island and Berlin and it took Venus to stop her reaching the Antwerp final.

However, she had a disappointing French Open, going out to American Ashley Harkleroad in the Second Round.

Sears declines to make predictions about how Hantuchova will fare at The Championships this year but he feels she can make an impact.

He said: "Daniela has proved she can be dangerous at Wimbledon and if she can force her way into the second week again there's always a chance she could do well. But the two Williams sisters are clearly favourites and the other girls, Daniela included, have got it all to do if they are going to upset the routines Serena and Venus have established for themselves.

"The Williams sisters have taken tennis to a new level and they are taking tennis more serious and are playing better this year. It makes it a great challenge for the people chasing them.

"In order to pressure the Williamses you have to serve well. Daniela does. You've got to have big shots on both sides. The added dimension that Daniela has is that she can take the pace off the ball and use angles and touch which used at the right time can be effective.

"She has the potential to rival the sisters but must stay healthy and continue to work as hard as she does now.

One thing is for sure, she is not scared of them and a lot of other players are.

"If Daniela can build on her quarter‑final in Australia, which was her third successive Grand Slam quarter‑final, there's absolutely no reason she can't have a special Grand Slam this year.

“I'm not going to tell you she will win Wimbledon or even reach the semis. I'd rather say, like I say to her every time, let's make the second week, that's where the real tournament starts."

[TennisHack]

Open Casting for Wimbledon, The Film
Tuesday, June 10, 2003


Members of the public are invited to an open casting for "Wimbledon" the film. We require people who are available between July 14th and September 28th for varying periods of time.

Please check the press release link for more details about the film.

The open casting will be taking place on:

Saturday 21st June between 8.30 am and 7.00 pm and Sunday 22nd between 10.30 am and 7pm at:

The 20th Century Theatre,
291 Westbourne Grove,
Notting Hill,
London W11 2QA

For more details call 01923 592933

[RogiFan]

Oh no! Are they touting Rogi again? I fear for him now...

[Doris]

Well keep the fingers crossed they don't put him on Center Court for his first match!!

Still Good luck Roger!!

And thanks for the articles TH

[RogiFan]

Doris said:

Well keep the fingers crossed they don't put him on Center Court for his first match!!

Still Good luck Roger!!

And thanks for the articles TH

I was thinking about that also, Doris... hopefully his wins at Halle, getting to the semis again and defending his pts, all of this will give him some confidence that he badly needs for this important time of yr!!

COME ON, ROGI!!

[Doris]

Well Roger won Halle. But fortunately Roddick won Queens by beating baldy so there's more tooting about Roddick than Federer which I don't mind at all!!


Still Good luck Roger!!

[RogiFan]

Doris said:

Well Roger won Halle. But fortunately Roddick won Queens by beating baldy so there's more tooting about Roddick than Federer which I don't mind at all!!


Still Good luck Roger!!

Just as well all the publicity and pressure be on Pandy... let people think Rogi can't do anything at Wimby... better for him that way.

All the best at Wimby Rogi!!

[Jasper]

Seeds Announced for Wimbledon

© Harry Collins

Monday, June 16, 2003


On the same day that he was deposed as number one by Andre Agassi in the world rankings, Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt was nominated as top seed for the men's singles.

Hewitt vaults back over the 33-year-old American by virtue of holding the title and a better recent record on grass, despite the fact that Agassi won the Championship in 1992, 11 years ago.

The swapping of places by the top two men is one of several changes to the world ranking positions by the seeding committee, who took into account 100 per cent of players' grass court points from 2002 and 50 per cent from 2001.

The most notable change is that of Tim Henman. The British number one, and a perennial hope for a home winner (something last achieved by Fred Perry in 1936), is seeded tenth, a leap of 19 places in his ATP Entry Ranking.

The elevation will be welcomed by Henman, who is struggling to find form and consistency following a shoulder operation seven months ago. Tenth place is awarded on the strength of Henman's semi-final place in last year's Championships, plus the fact that he has been a semi-finalist in four of the last five Wimbledons.

The number three seeding goes to the clay court specialist, Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, winner of the French Open earlier this month, who has not gone beyond the third round previously at Wimbledon.

Fourth place is awarded to the Swiss, Roger Federer, who was a quarter-finalist in 2001, the year he also knocked out the seven-time champion, Pete Sampras. Federer showed he is in excellent grass form by winning the Halle tournament in Germany at the weekend.

The exciting American 20-year-old, Andy Roddick, rated by many as a good bet for the title after his impressive victory at the Stella Artois championships in London on Sunday, is seeded fifth, one place higher than his world ranking.

Unlike previous years, when several clay court experts opted to miss The Championships, the only absentee will be the fourth-ranked Carlos Moya, of Spain, who is injured.

The 32 seeds reflect the current domination of the rankings by those who flourish on slower courts, containing four Spaniards and five Argentinians. Top among these is David Nalbandian, who is seeded sixth on the strength of getting to last year's final on his debut.

Nalbandian goes above his compatriot Guillermo Coria , Holland's Sjeng Schalken, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist who gave Hewitt a rough five-set ride last year, and Germany's Australian Open runner-up, Rainer Schuettler.

Martin Verkerk, a little-known Dutchman who astounded everyone, including himself, by reaching the French Open final on the back of powerful serving, is acknowledged as a threat by being seeded 21st.

Other men who have been seeded higher than their world ranking are Belgium's Xavier Malisse, Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, who is 14th seed despite a ranking of 31, and France's Arnaud Clement, seeded 15th with a ranking of 30.

There is no place in the seedings for two of the biggest servers in the game, Mark Philippoussis and Greg Rusedski, whose rankings have slumped because of injury. Philippoussis, ranked 51st, and Rusedski, 68th, will be dangerous floaters when the draw is made on Tuesday.

The women's singles have been seeded directly from the world rankings. Defending champion Serena Williams is number one, followed by the Belgian pair, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne, who contested the Roland Garros final two weeks ago.

Fourth seeding goes to Venus Williams, winner at Wimbledon in 2000 and 2001 and defeated by her sister in last year's final. The women's 32 contains nine Americans (though Monica Seles is absent because of a foot injury) and six Russians.

The Williams sisters, holders of the doubles title, are seeded third, with top place going to the number one ranked team of Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascal and Argentina's Paola Suarez.

The top men's doubles seeds are Mahesh Bhupathi of India and Max Mirnyi of Belarus.

[TennisHack]

Wimbledon Qualifying: Round-up Day 1
Monday, June 16, 2003


Cyril Saulnier advanced to the second round of the Gentlemen's qualifiers after defeating American Doug Bohaboy in a convincing 6-1, 6-3, straight sets victory. The Frenchmen found his form early in the first set and denying Bohaboy the opportunity to establish himself in the match. The victory saw the number seven seed comfortably advance into the next round and one step closer to the main draw.

Christiano Caratti of Italy comfortably defeated compatriot Uros Vico 6-3, 6-4. The 31 year-old won in straight sets over 22 year-old Vico and advanced to the second round where he will face Konstantinos Economidis the 25 year old from Greece ranked 279 in the world, 44 places below Caratti.

Underdog Konstantinos Economidis knocked out the seeded Frenchman Julien Varlet 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. After a tight opening set, Economidis edged into the lead 7-5 in the tie-break. This turned the match round in his favour as he then went on to dominate the second set and destroy the 22nd seed's hopes of reaching the main draw by taking the second set 6-1 to claim a place in the next round.

A tense two-set battle saw Croatian Ivo Karlovic claim a precious win over Dmitry Tursunov of Russia 7-6 (7-5), 7-5. The Russian based in California was just a whisker away from winning the opening set but it was Karlovic who eventually sneaked past Tursunov in two close sets.

Joseph Sirianni, 28, of Australia knocked out 23 year-old James Auckland of Great Britain. With very little to separate the two in the first set Sirianni emerged victorious at 6-4. Auckland refused to give in and competed with the Australian all the way to a tie-break in the second set. Sirianni siezed the chance to finish off the British qualifier by winning the tie-break 7-4 booking a place in the next round.

Stefano Peschisolido made light work of the challenge from Argentinian left-hander Marcelo Charpentier with a 6-2 6-1 demolition by the Italian. The veteran who turned 32 years-old last Friday looks to be in good form as he edges closer to the main draw facing Joseph Sirianni of Australia in the next round.

The number four seed, Brazilian Ricardo Mello, found himself struggling to dispose of the tough Italian Massimo Dell'Acqua but emerged victorious in a marathon 6-3 3-6 8-6 thriller. After comfortably taking the first set 6-3 Ricardo Mello lost his concentration and the second set as Dell'Acqua levelled the match winning the set 6-3. At one set each the fourth seed could not shake-off the Italian. Until the break Mello was searching for finally arrived in the dying moments of the final set which he narrowly took, 8-6. Mello will now face Croatian Roko Karanusic in the next round.

[TennisHack]

www.sportsmediainc.com/tennisweek/index.cfm?func=showarticle&newsid=8944&bannerregion=

Anna Backs Out Of Wimbledon
By Richard Pagliaro
06/16/2003

London's tabloid photographers will have to set their sights on another player during the Wimbledon fortnight. Internet Icon Anna Kournikova, a popular player with paparazzi, has withdrawn from Wimbledon due to a back injury.

The 1997 Wimbledon semifinalist, who pulled out of Birmingham last week citing a chronic lumbar injury, has not played a match since she was bounced out of the Charlottesville Challenger last month in a humbling first-round setback to 384th-ranked Brazilian Bruna Colosio.

The 22-year-old Kournikova withdrew from Roland Garros last month due to a left abductor strain, which according to the WTA Tour, is a complication from her strained back.

"Grass is my favorite surface and I love playing in England, so having to pull out because of my back is the last thing I wanted," Kournikova said. "They said my injury was chronic because it keeps coming back. It's the same problem I've had since after the Australian Open and it gives me referred pain in other areas, but it all comes from my back."

It has been a particularly painful season for Kournikova, who has compiled a 1-9 record. Her last main-draw appearance at a WTA event was two months ago when she retired in the first round of Charleston and her ranking has dropped to No. 76.

She has enjoyed some of her best results on grass. In 1999, she won the Eastbourne doubles title on grass with Martina Hingis and partnered with Chanda Rubin to reach the final four at Wimbledon last year as the pair knocked off top seeds Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs in the quarterfinals and were the only team to take a set off the Williams sisters before falling in the semifinals.

[TennisHack]

www.sportsmediainc.com/tennisweek/index.cfm?func=showarticle&newsid=8940&bannerregion=

Goran, Monica Withdraw From Wimbledon
By Richard Pagliaro
06/16/2003

Two of tennis' most popular personalities — Goran Ivanisevic and Monica Seles — have withdrawn from Wimbledon due to injuries. Ivanisevic, who became the first wild card Wimbledon winner when he beat Patrick Rafter in the 2001 final, has pulled out with a knee injury, while Seles, the 1992 Wimbledon runner-up to Steffi Graf, was forced to withdraw with a chronic foot injury.


The grass-court Grand Slam gets underway next Monday.

The 31-year-old Ivanisevic sustained his knee injury while practicing with Croatian compatriot Mario Ancic at Queen's Club last week. It is the latest in a series of injuries Ivanisevic has endured.

He missed much of the 2002 season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder. Playing his first ATP event since March of 2002 at Dubai in February, Ivanisevic trailed Russian qualifier Andrei Stoliarov 5-6 when he sprinted for a wide shot and suddenly crumpled to the court after feeling his right knee buckle. He was forced to retire from the match.

Chronic shoulder and elbow pain have plagued Ivanisevic this season. Even the beach was a danger zone for Ivanisevic, who stepped on a seashell while walking on the beach during the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami in March and underwent surgery last month to have the seashell removed.

Despite his injuries, Ivanisevic was determined to play Wimbledon until this latest injury. Ivanisevic has often said he believes his remarkable run to the 2001 Wimbledon title as a wild card came with a bit of divine intervention and as a result the colorful Croatian has a philosophical approach to the series of injuries that have stalled his career since.

"Before Wimbledon started when I won in 2001 I said: 'Just give me this Wimbledon,' I said to God. 'And I don't have to play tennis anymore in my life,' " Ivanisevic said. "I think he's doing that now. I won, but I'm not playing tennis. I know see how I am going to play again with this shoulder and elbow. I think you can't bargain with God. He gave me something I wanted all my life and he has to take something in return. That means that it doesn't take me forever, but it takes my tennis."

The 29-year-old Seles has been slowed by her foot injury for much of the season.

Hobbled by a painful injury to the sesamoid bone in her right foot, the 12th-seeded Seles limped out of the French Open in a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Nadia Petrova last month. It was the first time in her storied career that Seles suffered a first-round loss in a Grand Slam.

The persistent pain in her foot, which has forced Seles to withdraw from Indian Wells, Miami and Charleston, has severely slowed Seles' mobility. Seles said the severity of her injured right arch requires significant rest or surgery to completely cure, but said at this point in her career she is reluctant to undergo surgery and rehab.

A year ago, Seles enjoyed a stellar Slam campaign, advancing to the Australian Open semifinals and reaching three consecutive quarterfinals at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. But now she must contemplate a career future filled with pain if she declines to opt for surgery.

"I tried, but, you know, I can't run to the level that I need to run if I want to win a match," Seles said. "It would take at least six to nine months to cure this. (Anna) Kournikova had it and she had to have surgery. It's one of those problems that's pretty serious. I just don't feel at this stage in my career I want to have surgery and be off nine months and come back to the world of tennis. If it can get better, I'll take a little bit more time off. If it's not, then I have to make a decision to stop."

[TennisHack]

Briton battles foes, pressure, injury at Wimbledon
Posted: Wednesday June 18, 2003 4:49 PM
Updated: Wednesday June 18, 2003 5:57 PM
By Candy Reid, SI.com

With David Beckham's transfer to Real Madrid dominating the headlines in England, British tennis player Tim Henman must be sighing with relief.

During the Wimbledon fortnight and the weeks leading up to it, it is usually Henman's name that covers the back pages of the dailies as "Henmania" hits the nation.

The 28-year-old father of one is the perennial hope to snap England's 67-year drought in the men's competition.

Henman has come close several times, having reached the semifinals at the All England Club four of the last five years, but it's not far enough for the British fans and media. If he wins a match, "Our Tim" is treated like a god; if he loses, he's terrible, he's never going to win, he's not mentally strong enough, his time has come and gone, etc. etc.

So can he win it this year and get the monkey -- and the British press and public -- off his back?

Well it's not likely.

A persistent shoulder injury, followed by shoulder surgery earlier this year, seems to have taken some power out of his serve and left him short of matches and confidence.

However, he couldn't have wished for a better draw.

Henman, who is seeded 10th for the Championship -- thanks to the Wimbledon seeding committee (he has a world ranking of 29) -- faces claycourt specialist Alex Corretja in the opening round, and while the Spaniard has beaten Pete Sampras on grass, he hasn't played at Wimbledon in five years and his game has seen better days.

Provided he beats Corretja, Henman will then have to play another Spaniard or a qualifier, and then should find himself in round three up against Dutchman Martin Verkerk -- the man who unexpectedly reached the French Open final but has no pedigree on grass.

So on paper, Henman should reach the second week with no problems, but that's where it will start to get harder for the Briton.

A possible rematch with Sebastien Grosjean is on the cards in the quarterfinals. Grosjean beat Henman to reach the championship match at Queen's Club last week, and the hot weather and slower-than-normal courts will once again play right into the Frenchman's hands.

If Henman can manage to reach another Wimbledon semifinal, he is certainly capable of winning the tournament.

However, one must believe that Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt will be in contention for the title at that point, and both men have winning records against Henman.

One thing is for certain though -- Henman will not only be battling his opponents but also his nerves as the British public pile the pressure on in hopes of a home-grown champion.

Candy Reid is an anchor on CNN International's World Sport show.

[TennisHack]

Safin hopes to overcome injuries with big Wimbledon
Posted: Wednesday June 18, 2003 2:16 AM

DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (Reuters) -- Afflicted by a succession of injuries since the start of the year, Marat Safin will go into Wimbledon underprepared and under pressure as the unwanted tag of underachiever begins to stick.

Safin, regarded by many as the world's best player when he is on form, won the U.S. Open in 2000 and ended last year ranked No. 3 in the world after helping Russia to win the Davis Cup.

But now he is in danger of losing his place in the top echelons of the game.

Safin's enforced absence from the tour has seen his ranking dive to 20th and he will be thankful that his second-round exit to Belgian Olivier Rochus at Wimbledon last year means he at least does not have the pressure of a mountain of ranking points to defend.

But with each tournament that he misses, whether it be through the wrist injury that kept him out of the French Open or the ankle injury which caused him to withdraw before his third-round meeting with Rainer Schuettler at the Australian Open, the worries are growing.

After taking almost a month's rest following Australia, Safin returned to reach the quarterfinals in the Masters Series event at Indian Wells but was then forced off the court again.

He looked impressive when he worked his way to the final in Barcelona in April, beating eventual French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero on the way, but then he pulled out of the title match with a stomach strain.

Then his wrist problem popped up again in Valencia at the end of April and Safin has not played since.

Safin, known for his explosive temper and habit of smashing rackets, decided not to attempt a grasscourt warmup tournament before next week's Wimbledon but went to Moscow to train.

His agent insisted Safin would be ready. "He's in good health, he's asked me to get him some strings, rackets and kit. That's the proof that he's ready to return," Gerard Tsobanian told French newspaper L'Equipe.

But Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev warned that Safin was still rusty.

"Yes, he will [play] but if you ask me if he is going to do well that's a totally different matter.

"Marat began hitting a ball just a couple of days ago because his wrist was still bothering him so I don't think people should expect much from him at this year's Wimbledon.

"He is well short of match practice so we just have to wait and see how it goes in the first couple of rounds. If he gets through then he might have an outside chance."

Safin's best performance at Wimbledon came in 2001 when he reached the quarterfinals only to lose to eventual champion Goran Ivanisevic. Grass is not his favorite surface but his undoubted talent makes him a threat nevertheless.

The lack of match practice, Safin says, will not be a factor at Wimbledon, where he is seeded 18th and could meet 1992 champion Andre Agassi if he gets to the fourth round.

"I am not a person who runs a lot, who spends a lot of energy on the court," Safin said. "If I am mentally OK, if nothing is bothering me and I want to play, then it is fine.

"If I stay fit my confidence will come back. I am going to be dangerous this year."

Despite his boast, there has been speculation that Safin might yet skip Wimbledon to prepare fully for the hardcourt season up to and including the U.S. Open.

Wimbledon has never been his favourite tournament. "I don't like the way they treat the players," he has said.

"There are small things that don't cost them anything and they make such a big deal out of it. If they treat us that way, we have to treat them the same. We want to be respected, the way we respect Wimbledon, even if it is not the best Grand Slam on earth."

Safin has worked with five coaches over the last three years but now relies on a former tour professional and old friend Denis Golovanov who travels with him.

Still only 23, Safin, is a talent waiting to be fulfilled.

"Good times will come," he said. "I have hopefully seven more years to play, so I think I can improve."

[TennisHack]

Another all-Williams Grand Slam final is possible
Posted: Tuesday June 17, 2003 10:38 AM
Updated: Tuesday June 17, 2003 2:36 PM

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Serena and Venus Williams were placed on opposite sides of the Wimbledon women's draw Tuesday and could meet in another Grand Slam final.

Defending men's champion Lleyton Hewitt was dealt a tough draw that included a likely second-round match against former champ Richard Krajicek and a potential quarterfinal match against Andy Roddick.

Andre Agassi, seeded second, will open against British wild card Jamie Delgado and could face No. 18 Marat Safin or big-serving Mark Philippoussis in the fourth round.

Agassi's potential quarterfinal and semifinal opponents are clay-court experts, No. 7 Guillermo Coria and No. 3 Juan Carlos Ferrero, the French Open champion.

Serena Williams, who won Wimbledon for the first time last year, and older sister Venus, the 2000 and '01 champion, have met in four of the past five Grand Slam championship matches.

But the Williams sisters will have to get past Belgian stars Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne to reach the Wimbledon final.

Serena plays 66th-ranked American Jill Craybas in the first round and could meet No. 8 Jennifer Capriati in the quarters and No. 3 Henin-Hardenne in the semis. Henin-Hardenne beat Serena in the French Open semifinals and Clijsters in the final.

Henin-Hardenne opens against Julia Vakulenko of Ukraine.

In the bottom half of the draw, the second-seeded Clijsters plays Rossana Neffa-De Los Rios in the first round.

Venus Williams, seeded fourth, faces a qualifier in first round. In the fourth round, she could meet 18-year-old Russian Vera Zvonareva, who beat her in three sets in the fourth round at the French.

Venus could face No. 5 Lindsay Davenport in the quarters and Clijsters in the semis.

Former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek withdrew from the tournament hours after the draw, citing a right elbow injury, tournament referee Alan Mills said.

Krajicek, the hard-serving grass-court specialist who won Wimbledon in 1996, was drawn to play a qualifier in the first round. His withdrawal was announced shortly after he lost in the first round of the Ordina Open.

Recurring pain in the elbow sidelined Krajicek for 20 months before he returned for last year's Ordina event. He slipped to No. 72 in the rankings.

Other players who have withdrawn from Wimbledon include former champion Goran Ivanisevic, Monica Seles, Anna Kournikova, former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson, Carlos Moya and Tommy Haas.

Top-seeded Hewitt could meet the fifth-seeded Roddick in the quarterfinals and No. 4 Roger Federer in the semis.

Hewitt said it was premature to look ahead.

"You can't read too much into the draw," he said. "Out of the four Grand Slams, Wimbledon is probably the one that opens up the most."

Hewitt denied feeling any pressure as defending champion.

"I have pretty high expectations going into every Grand Slam," he said. "It's pretty enjoyable for me to walk back here after the great memories from last year. This is probably the one tournament I would have given everything to win."

Roddick, considered a serious title contender after winning the Queen's Club tournament last week, drew 89th-ranked Italian Davide Sanguinetti in the first round.

Roddick could then face Britain's Greg Rusedski in the second round. Rusedski is another big server and grass court specialist. Roddick beat Rusedski in three sets at Queen's.

[Lily]

MEN'S WIMBLEDON PREVIEW: Andy Roddick is Looking to Kick Your Grass
By Richard Vach, Senior Tennis-X.com Writer

Alright, here we go: cheers, well left, strawberries and cream and all that crap. Forget the five-hour endurance tests with red clay on your socks and Al Costa coming back from two sets down, time for sticking your volleys, sitting through rain delays, and Andy Roddick putting a hole in your chest with a 150+ m.p.h. serve.

You're not going to see any Spaniards hanging around after week one, at least on the men's side, and you sure as hell won't see a women's Wimbledon preview here. Why? As our Tennis-X intern put it, "Every match is the same, just sit on the baseline and bash it, the surface doesn't even matter. The women play like the net has the SARS virus on it." Hey, sorry, if you don't like it, take it up with the intern. He's unpaid, so he has a lot of time on his hands to come up with these quips.

Here's a run through of the 32 seeds, where they fell in the field, and how they fare on the lawns:

(1) Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
Ranked No. 2 but seeded No. 1, the defending champion has not looked sharp in his limited grasscourt play leading to the All-England Club, and like the French, his draw is brutal. Match-tough qualifiers or lucky losers in the first two rounds (Richard Krajicek pulled out with injury), Taylor Dent or Max "The Beast" Mirnyi in the third round, Andy Roddick or Greg Rusedski in the quarters, etc., have Hewitt walking the coals to win this one.

(2) Andre Agassi (USA)
A REAL nice draw for The Boss, with a Brit qualifier to open, (27)El Aynaoui in the third round, maybe Xavier Malisse or Mark Philippoussis in the fourth, and a quarterfinal against the weakest section of the draw. Watch out for the former champ if he can conquer Flipper/X-Man and other minor bumps in the road.

(3) Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
The French Open champ doesn't give two craps about Wimbledon, and in this his third appearance he'll be looking to collect a check and start an early holiday. Won't surpass his best 3rd round effort in 2001.

(4) Roger Federer (SUI)
He won the grasscourt title at Halle this year, and he has a cake draw through to the semis where he would likely face Hewitt or Roddick. But which Club Fed will show, the one who beat Pete Sampras or the one who last year went out to Mario Ancic in the opening round?

(5) Andy Roddick (USA)
A-Rod erased the memory of last year's loss to Greg Rusedski with a win over the Brit this year en route to his first grasscourt title at Queen's, and under the tutelage of new coach Brad Gilbert has risen to favorite status among All-England watchers. But can the fragile American hold it together for seven matches, and overcome a sticky opener against Davide Sanguinetti, and a second round against nemesis Rusedski?

(6) David Nalbandian (ARG)
Last year's runner-up will drop like a rock in the rankings after losing either first round to former semifinalist Vladimir Voltchkov, to Wayne Ferreira in the third round, or Verkerk or Henman in the fourth round. The stars are not aligned this year.

(7) Guillermo Coria (ARG)
Perhaps Coria can get a ticket on the same plane as Nalbandian. His draw is not tough, but the commitment is not there, skipping the grasscourt warm-ups, and with only one previous Wimbledon appearance in a first-round loss in 2001.

(8) Sjeng Schalken (NED)
The Dutchman is an experienced grasscourt veteran, and if he can bypass the Brit fervor in his first-round encounter with wildcard Arvind Parmar, his draw opens up with a possible quarterfinal match-up against Federer.

(9) Rainer Schuettler (GER)
Never past the third round in four attempts, the German could well be ushered out in his opener against Swiss Michel Kratochvil, who last year won three matches on the lawns. While Schuettler's draw is not at all difficult, his grasscourt acumen is still not developed enough to do any damage.

(10) Tim Henman (GBR)
How does the No. 29-ranked guy show up in the No. 10 spot? Oh year, sorry, he's a Brit. More so than the draw, the focus on Henman is the injured shoulder, which is hampering the pop on his serve and his confidence. If he gets by Alex Corretja (who beat Pete Sampras on grass) in his opener, the Brit will face a tester in the third against Verkerk or Kiefer, then a fourth against Nalbandian or Ferriera -- lots of sets for an injured wing. No semifinal for the Brit this year.

(11) Jiri Novak (CZE)
It's not that Jiri is bad on grass, it's just that he's not good. Seven first or second round losses in seven attempts, and Popp or Kafelnikov in the third round = out.

(12) Paradorn Srichaphan (THA)
Not unlike his problems on clay, this Thai has no stick on grass, and said last week "I can't wait for the hardcourt season to start." That's the wrong attitude Paradorn. If he gets by Hrbaty in his opener, Ancic will take him out by the third round.

(13) Sebastien Grosjean (FRA)
One of the Top 5 grasscourt players on tour, Grosjean faces a tough draw in Thomas Enqvist, who holds a 4-0 record over him, although the two have never faced on grass. If he can conquer the Swede, Wayne Arthurs waits in the second round, but it is clear sailing after that until Henman in the quarters.

(14) Xavier Malisse (BEL)
The X-man proved his grasscourt acumen last year in reaching the semis, but this year faces a decidedly tougher road with a practiced qualifier to start, Philippoussis in the second round, then big-serving Aussie Scott Draper or Marat Safin in the third. Faces Agassi if he can struggle through to the fourth round.

(15) Arnaud Clement (FRA)
Another underrated Frenchman on the grass, the man of many bandannas faces oft-injured American Robby Ginepri in his opener, and few bumps in the road until Hewitt in the fourth round. If the draw opens up, don't be surprised to see Clement facing Roddick in the quarters.

(16) Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)
The young Russian could not have a better draw if he picked it himself, and will kick himself if he doesn't last to the fourth round to get pasted by Roger Federer.

[RogiFan]

So does this guy want :ass: to win it?

Or does he want Juanqui to lose it?? Not impressed w his little prognostication on Juanqui... typical... is the guy Amer??