Struggling Sampras under pressure

He showed touches of his best form when winning the Queen8217;s Grasscourt tournament on Sunday but this was his first title since October and Sampras, better than anyone, knows the only titles that matter are the four Grand Slams.

Two years ago, when Sampras won his 10th Grand Slam at the All England Club with a ferocious display of power against Frenchman Cedric Pioline, it appeared only a matter of time before Roy Emerson8217;s record 12 Grand Slam titles was surpassed.

In the last 18 months, however, the name Sampras has been associated as much with injury and whining as glorious tennis and there are signs the game is moving into the post-Sampras era.

He won only four titles lastyear, including Wimbledon where he beat Goran Ivanisevic in five service-battering sets, and handed over the number one spot to Marcelo Rios before winning it back at the year-end for a record sixth successive year.

The effort required to stay at the top for so long clearly took its toll on the 27-year-old, both physically and mentally.

Sampras8217; decision not to play Davis Cup for the US made him few friends and tennis seemed to give him little enjoyment in 1998 as he constantly complained about the drudgery of the tour.

It was brave decision to take some time off but it worked wonders for Sampras8217;s psyche.

He factored in the possibility of losing the number one spot and it has been like a slippery bar stool in the past few months, with Yevgeny Kafelnikov, winner of the Australian Open and Spain8217;s Carlos Moya, jumping on and US Open champion Patrick Rafter standing by to take over.

But for the bookmakers there is only one person who can win Wimbledon 8212; Sampras, named 11-8 favourite with 1996champion Richard Krajicek a distant second-favourite at 8-1.

Obstacles for Graf

The tennis PR machine maintains that the women8217;s game is now generating more interest than its male counterpart, but the much-hyped teen revolution supposed to fuel it self-destructed at the French Open.

Wimbledon now provides the chance for the teenage talents to force their way back into the limelight and show that veteran Steffi Graf8217;s triumph at Roland Garros marks the last hurrah of the old guard.

Graf will beg to differ, as she plays what will almost certainly be her last campaign at the All-England Club where she has won seven titles.

The German, who turned 30 on Monday, revealed after notching her sixth win at Roland Garros at the expense of world number one Martina Hingis that she would not return 8212; and this year surely marks her farewell after dominating the sport for more than a decade.

Second seed Graf opens with a first-round match against Slovak world number 100 Ludmila Cervanova with a possiblequarter-final clash awaiting against one of the Williams sisters, sixth seed Venus or Serena, who could themselves meet in the fourth round.

Reigning champion Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic, will, like Graf, carry the flag for the old campaigners assuming she can get over an ankle injury suffered playing doubles at the French Open.

The 30-year-old opens her defence against Taiwan8217;s Shi-Ting Wang before a possible quarter-final clash with American third seed Lindsay Davenport, who opens up against Alexandra Fusai of France.

Defending champions

Men8217;s singles: Pete Sampras US

Women8217;s singles: Jana Novotna Czech Republic

Men8217;s doubles: Jacco Eltingh/Paul Haarhuis Netherlands

Women8217;s doubles: Martina Hingis Switzerland/Jana Novotna

Mixed doubles: Max Mirnyi Belarus/Serena Williams US.

Prize money: Total has risen 5.4 per cent this year to 7.6 million pounds 12.25 million. The men8217;s singles champion will receive455,000 pounds and the women8217;s champion 409,500.

First round losers in the men8217;S Singles will receive 6,530 pounds and in the women8217;s 5,060 pounds. All players receive a daily allowance of 150 pounds.

Facilities: Wimbledon has two show courts 8212; Centre Court which holds 13,800 and Number One court 11,400. More than 720 seats have been added to Centre Court this year.

Courts 16 and 17 come back into use this year, giving a total of 20, but only 18 will be in use at any one time.

Play in the first six days will begin at 1300 GMT 1730 IST on Centre and Number One courts and 1100 GMT 1530 IST on the other courts. There is no play on June 27, except if bad weather delays the programme during the first week.

Last year the championships attracted 424,000 people.

History: The oldest tournament in the sport and the only Grand Slam still played on a grass court, the fastest in tennis.

All England Croquet Club was founded in 1868 and tennis was added to its activities in 1875. Thefirst tennis championship was held in 1877, men8217;s singles only.

Women8217;s singles and men8217;s doubles were introduced in 1884 and women8217;s doubles and mixed doubles in 1913.

First overseas champion was May Sutton of the United States who won the women8217;s singles in 1905. Norman Brookes of Australia won the men8217;s title in 1907.

Wimbledon moved to its present site in Church Road in 1922.

Past champs

Wimbledon champions over the past 20 years

Men8217;s: 1998 Pete Sampras US, 1997 Sampras, 1996 Richard Krajicek Netherlands, 1995 Sampras, 1994 Sampras, 1993 Sampras, 1992 Andre Agassi US, 1991 Michael Stich Germany, 1990 Stefan Edberg Sweden, 1989 Boris Becker Germany, 1988 Edberg, 1987 Pat Cash Australia, 1986 Becker, 1985 Becker, 1984 John McEnroe US, 1983 McEnroe, 1982 Jimmy Connors US, 1981 McEnroe, 1980 Bjorn Borg Sweden, 1979 Borg.

Women8217;s: 1998 Jana Novotna Czech Republic, 1997 Martina Hingis Switzerland, 1996 Steffi Graf Germany, 1995 Graf, 1994 ConchitaMartinez Spain, 1993 Graf, 1992 Graf, 1991 Graf, 1990 Martina Navratilova US, 1989 Graf, 1988 Graf, 1987 Navratilova, 1986 Navratilova, 1985 Navratilova, 1984 Navratilova, 1983 Navratilova, 1982 Navratilova, 1981 Chris Evert Lloyd US, 1980 Evonne Goolagong Cawley Australia, 1979 Navratilova.

Star Sports to telecast

STAR Sports will telecast live the Wimbledon tennis championships from the first round till quarterfinal stage. The semifinals and finals will have deffered telecast, an ESPN-Star Sports release said.

Schedule: live telecast starts at 5.30 p.m. IST June 21-25 first to third rounds; June 26 third/round of 16 at 6.30 p.m.; June 28 fourth round/round of 16 at 4.30 p.m.; June 29 women8217;s singles quarterfinals; June 30 men8217;s singles quarterfinals at 4.30 p.m.; July 1 women8217;s singles/doubles semifinals 9.30 p.m. deferred telecast; July 2 men8217;s singles semifinals 8.30 p.m. deferred telecast; July 3 women8217;s singles, men8217;s doubles and mixed doubles final 9.30 p.m.deferred telecast; July 4 men8217;s singles/ladies doubles final 9.30 p.m. deferred telecast.