Federer eyes a penta, Henin first

So much for resisting change at Wimbledon. They8217;re embracing it. Women will earn the same prize money as men for the first time...

So much for resisting change at Wimbledon. They8217;re embracing it. Women will earn the same prize money as men for the first time this year, video screens will help players challenge calls, and a retractable roof is on the way.

Does tradition mean nothing anymore? Well, there is one thing 8212; besides the white clothes every competitor must wear and the grass underfoot 8212; that remains the same: As the defending men8217;s singles champion, Roger Federer will once again have the honour of being first to stride out on Centre Court when action begins Monday.

If it seems as though the Swiss star enters each major tournament with a chance to do something historic, it8217;s because he does. Two weeks after coming up short of completing a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros, Federer heads to the All-England Club, where he8217;ll try to do something only one man has done in the last 100 years: win a fifth straight Wimbledon title.

When Wimbledon begins, Federer will be entering his record 178th consecutive week at No. 1 in the rankings. He8217;s won six of the previous eight Grand Slams, 10 of the past 16. He also takes a record 48-match winning streak on grass into the first round.

For him, as for many players and fans alike, success at Wimbledon takes away the sting of near-misses at Roland Garros, where he lost to nemesis Rafael Nadal the past three years.

In last year8217;s Wimbledon final, Federer beat Nadal, and they could reprise their No. 1 vs No. 2 rivalry with a July 9 rematch. Nadal and No. 3 Andy Roddick 8212; who lost to Federer in the 2003 semi-finals and the 2004 and 2005 finals here 8212; might be the only players likely to present trouble.

No one holds that kind of sway over the women8217;s draw, although when it comes to this major, Serena and Venus Williams often bring their best. One Williams or the other has won five of the past seven Wimbledon championships, despite never participating in any grass-court warmup events.

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Regardless of the reason, they are indeed good. So, too, is top-ranked Justine Henin, who won the French Open for her sixth Grand Slam title, a total that trails only Serena Williams8217; eight among active players. Henin needs only a Wimbledon title to fill out a career Grand Slam.

Murray withdraws

Wimbledon: Eighth-seeded Andy Murray pulled out of Wimbledon with a right wrist injury today, dealing a blow to British fans who considered him their best chance for a strong showing from a local player. 8220;The doctor has advised me not to play and that I probably need about 10 days to be ready. Unfortunately, I don8217;t think it is going to rain for the next 10 days,8221; Murray said.

Important matches

MEN: Roger Federer SUI x1 v Teimuraz Gabashvili RUS; Andy Roddick USA x3 v Justin Gimelstob USA; Andy Murray GBR x8 v Nicolas Lapentti ECU; Carlos Moya ESP x25 v Tim Henman GBR

WOMEN: Justine Henin BEL x1 v Jorgelina Cravero ARG; Jelena Jankovic SRB x3 v Anne Keothavong GBR; Serena Williams USA X7 v Lourdes Dominguez Lino ESP; Martina Hingis SUI X9 v Naomi Cavaday GBR