DOB: 12.08.1971 Nationality: American World Ranking: 13 Previous Wimbledon results: 2001 :: fourth round 2000 :: winner 1999 :: winner 1998 :: winner

Sampras comes to Wimbledon - after another first round defeat in the French Open - not having won a tournament of any sort since clinching a record 13th Grand Slam title here two years ago.

Now 30, the years of pushing himself so hard to stay at the top are beginning to tell in both mind and body.

Last year's fourth round defeat to Roger Federer - coming after he was taken to five sets by Britain's Barry Cowan - caused shock waves around the world.

But this was more to do with the fact that it marked the end of Sampras' extraordinary period of dominance in SW19 - in reality, to lose in five sets to a talent such as Federer is no disgrace.