Pete Sampras leads the ATP Tour rankings for a record sixth consecutive year, with Marcelo Rios and Alex Corretja his nearest challengers.

Henman's career-best ranking of No 7 is down to a fine end of season which saw him reach the semi-finals of the ATP Tour World Championship in Hanover, beating Rios and Corretja along the way.

His rise from World No 17 in January came despite missing the most vital two months of the year round Wimbledon time through injury.

Rusedski: Got his biggest career win in Paris this year

Rusedski actually fell from No 6 at the start of the year, but also suffered injury problems in the middle of the year and finished the year strongly, beating Sampras to win the Paris Indoor Open.

And the Canadian-born player actually made more money than his Davis Cup team-mate, as both fell just short of a million pounds earnings for 1998.

Rusedski banked £912,773 and Henman £905,481 as two British players finished in the top 10 for the first time since rankings began in 1973.

Now they are both looking forward to 1999. Both start their tournament schedules in Doha in the first week of January.

Rusedski will then play the Sydney tournament while Henman plays an exhibition event in Melbourne.

But their biggest aim at the start of the season will be to do well in the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, which starts on 18 January.

Henman: World championship semi-finalist

As they both say, getting to world number one must be the ultimate aim, but they are also keen for a third British star to come and challenge them.

There is no-one to press them at home with Chris Wilkinson, the British No 3, ranked 181st in the world.

As Rusedski points out: "We've had some great junior players but they've never made it in the senior ranks."

Henman is in full agreement. "We would both like to see others come along and start taking some of the headlines away from us.

"Not that we don't enjoy them, but I think there is plenty of room for others. Hopefully in the not too distant future, we can get more guys coming up through the ranks."

Sampras

The lack of new talent is not confined to the UK scene - Sampras has been World No 1 for every year since 1993, and he believes the same few players will be challenging him in 1999.

Sampras: Does not see new challengers for 1999

"I don't see anyone ranked 40 or 50 that's going to be in the top 10 by this time next year," he said.

Sampras has not been quite as dominant as in previous years, partly because of injury.

But he still won Wimbledon, his 11th grand slam title, and three other tournaments. Only Australian Roy Emerson has won 12 majors.

"I'm not that old and I've still got plenty to look forward to," said Sampras, 27. "I know that if I'm fit and if I play my best tennis, it's going to be very hard for other guys to beat me."

And that is a clear message of intent to the two British hopefuls, along with the likes of Rios, Corretja, Pat Rafter and Carlos Moya, who make up the rest of the top five.

Final ATP Tour top 20 with points totals:

• 1 P Sampras (USA) 3915pts
• 2 M Rios (Chi) 3670
• 3 A Corretja (Spa) 3398
• 4 P Rafter (Aus) 3315
• 5 C Moya (Spa) 3159
• 6 A Agassi (USA) 2879
• 7 T Henman (Gbr) 2620
• 8 K Kucera (Svk) 2579
• 9 G Rusedski (Gbr) 2573
• 10 R Krajicek (Ned) 2548
• 11 Y Kafelnikov (Rus) 2515
• 12 G Ivanisevic (Cro) 2137
• 13 P Korda (Cze) 2114
• 14 A Costa (Spa) 1823
• 15 M Philippoussis (Aus) 1792
• 16 T Martin (USA) 1774
• 17 T Johansson (Swe) 1761
• 18 C Pioline (Fra) 1710
• 19 J Siemerink (Ned) 1669
• 20 F Mantilla (Spa) 1643