Agassi, Hewitt front-runners in a depleted field

Unpredictability is a word that has been used so often in the past during the Wimbledon fortnight, you would think almost nothing here follows a script.

Unpredictability is a word that has been used so often in the past during the Wimbledon fortnight, you would think almost nothing here follows a script. As the 117th edition of The Championships begins on Monday, it is very clear that in the post Pete Sampras era, the job of picking a winner becomes even more difficult.

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After a decade-long domination on grass where the quiet American won a record seven singles titles between 1993 and 2000, there were quite a few asking how long this Pistol Pete show would go on.

It was almost monotonous watching the same man collect the winner's trophy and cheque on the second Sunday. Mind you, the same people who said they were getting bored of watching Sampras' victories on the famous lawns of SW 19 are now asking why he should not be there again!

Time and tide wait for none, and in the new era none can say with certainty whether Lleyton Hewitt can defend his title successfully, even though the long list of absentees includes not just 2001 champion Goran Ivanisevic, but also 2000 US Open champion Marat Safin, Carlos Moya, Albert Costa, Marcelo Rios and Thomas Johansson.

There was a time when winning Wimbledon meant you had to work so hard on sharpening your grasscourt skills that you almost tended to ignore your basic game. Ivan Lendl did it in the eighties and still did not succeed. But if the last edition here was a sign of things to come, where seeds were bombed out left, right and centre, it is clear that the playing conditions today at Wimbledon do give even the baseliners a fair chance. Or else, how could someone like David Nalbandian have worked his way into the final against Hewitt last year?

A decade back when Goran Ivanisevic was raining down the aces by the dozen, there was a cry that the conditions should be changed. And today, it is clear that with the balls getting heavier there is a chance for the baseline barons --- with 1992 champion Andre Agassi, seeded second now, fancying his chances. At the same time, it would be churlish not to make a mention of Andy Roddick, who surprised many by winning last week at Queen's ahead of Hewitt.

Hewitt keeps talking of having wanted to win Wimbledon since the time he was a kid. A look at the men's singles draw suggests that if Hewitt has to retain the title, he will have to negotiate not just one big-serving American in Roddick, but also Taylor Dent, with a possible semi-final opponent in Roger Federer.

In the second half of the draw, Agassi does look more comfortable, but there's this dangerous floater in Mark Philippoussis who can be devastating any day with his serve. Mind you, Agassi is aware that just because some of the more noted serve-and-volley specialists are not around, his job does not become easier. After all, he had lost to a much lower ranked Srichaphan last year.

Williams vs Belgians

Talk of defending titles and it is clear that defending champion Serena Williams will come out firing all over again. The Williams show -- Serena and Venus versus the rest in women's tennis --- had reached such a stage that these American sisters were seen as almost unbeatable.

Luckily for those at the receiving end, there was a huge change at the French Open where Serena suffered her first defeat in 33 Grand Slam matches to Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne.

Not only did Henin-Hardenne stun Serena with that potent backhand, she also routed countrywoman Kim Clijsters in the final. The draw points to another Williams versus the Belgians. Serena its waiting to settle scores with Henin-Hardenne, who is nursing an injury she suffered on her hand two days ago. Likewise, it could be Venus versus second seed Kim Clijsters from the lower half of the draw.

Whichever way you look at it, if the Williams sisters have to be beaten, their opponents should not look for favours. They are mean and hungry and that is what separates them from the rest on the Tour.