Sampras, Williams better watch out

Pritha Sarkar

Pete Sampras and Venus Williams had better watch out -- one false step next week and their Wimbledon crowns could be snatched away by an army of young pretenders gunning for glory.

Tour newcomer Andy Roddick has set alight the men's tour this year with his cannonball serves while Australian Lleyton Hewitt underlined his grasscourt credentials by successfully defending the Stella Artois title on Sunday.

On the women's side, Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin along with Jelena Dokic all have the potential to do well at the All England Club.

Roddick's 220-kph lethal serves have already won him two tournaments on clay this season and could pay huge dividends on grass.

But question marks remain about his fitness and his ability to handle the slick conditions at Wimbledon, which starts on Monday.

The 18-year-old Roddick was forced to retire with a hamstring injury in a third-round clash with Hewitt at Roland Garros and went out in the first round at Queen's Club last Tuesday.

"I like the grass, it helps my serve," said Roddick, who has seen his ranking rise from 158 at the start of the year to 40.

"I've probably played less than 10 matches on grass but I'm very excited."

Despite beating grasscourt specialists Pete Sampras -- the seven-times Wimbledon champion -- and Briton Tim Henman on his way to the Stella Artois title, Hewitt is approaching this year's event with caution.

"Everyone said I had a chance at Wimbledon last year after I beat Sampras in the final here but I lost in the first round," the Australian said after his victory on Sunday.

"So this year I figure I've got nothing to lose. I'm feeling great and am really looking forward to it."

POWER GAME

French Open finalist Kim Clijsters's power game appears ideally suited to grass.

On her first trip to Wimbledon two years ago, the Belgian's big serve and penetrating groundstrokes carried her to the fourth round where she lost to finalist Steffi Graf.

The 18-year-old Clijsters also upset former finalist Nathalie Tauziat in the first round in 2000 and reached the mixed doubles final with boyfriend Hewitt.

"All the new, up-and-coming players hit the ball very hard," Clijsters said at Roland Garros.

"Players such as Henin and Dokic all like to go for points. It's the future of women's tennis."

Clijsters's compatriot Henin, a semifinalist in Paris, is another contender for the women's title.

A true all-rounder, Henin can play aggressively from the baseline but is also useful at the net and her returns can be devastating, as Venus Williams found out at the German Open last month.

Jelena Dokic, who reached the semifinals 12 months ago, will be hoping to grab the headlines with her on-court action rather than the exploits of her father Damir.

Last year Dokic senior was escorted out of the grounds draped in an England flag after smashing a journalist's mobile phone.

But he has kept a low profile since serving a six-month ban from the WTA tour following yet another altercation at the U.S. Open nine months ago.

GRASSCOURT FORM

Dokic, who abandoned her adopted country Australia in January to play under the flag of her native Yugoslavia, appears to have benefited from her father's new public demeanour and claimed her first WTA title at the Italian Open on clay last month.

The win also helped her to break into the world's top 20 for the first time.

The 18-year-old Dokic, however, will have to improve her current form on grass if she is to succeed at the All England Club.

Last week Dokic suffered a humiliating defeat in her first grasscourt match to Australian Alicia Molik, ranked 86 places below her, at the Edgbaston Open women's tournament.

Although she has plummeted to 124th in the rankings, American Alexandra Stevenson could turn out to be the dark horse of the tournament.

The 20-year-old Stevenson, who became the first woman qualifier to reach the semifinals at Wimbledon in 1999, has been given a wildcard for this year's event.

"I want to be the first wild card to win Wimbledon. I'm always looking to create new history," Stevenson said at the Edgbaston Open, where she reached the third round as a qualifier.

"Whatever draw they give me, I'll be ready for it. The title is up for grabs now there isn't someone like Steffi (Graf) dominating it."