Davenport raring to go

If anyone had believed her, Lindsay Davenport [Images] should have packed away her racket for good by now and consigned her career to the annals of tennis history.

Twelve months ago, the 1999 Wimbledon champion walked out of the All England [Images] Club convinced she would never return again as a player.

"I just can't see myself back here in 12 months," she said after losing to eventual winner Maria Sharapova [Images] in the semi-finals.

"I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't enjoy it," the 29-year-old Davenport said recently.

"I think you're still out there because you love to play and you love the competition and everything that goes with tennis."

The reason for her U-turn? An incredible run during the 2004 American hardcourt season.

Following her defeat by Sharapova at Wimbledon, Davenport won four titles on the trot and strung together a 24-match winning streak which was eventually snapped by Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the US Open semi-finals.

The disappointment of not being able to cap her run with victory at Flushing Meadows failed to stop the Davenport charge and she immediately stepped back into the winner's circle at Filderstadt.

Just when Davenport thought she was going to put her feet up and settle down to a life of domesticity, albeit with the help of an $18.5-million bank balance, with her investment banker husband Jon Leach and their two rottweilers, fate intervened.

The popular American found herself back on top of the tennis rankings on October 18 and any thoughts of becoming a full-time housewife had to be put on hold.

After making her first Grand Slam final in more than four years at the Australian Open in January, Davenport once again started to believe that perhaps she could add to her three previous major trophies.

Two titles this year have allowed her to hang on to the top spot and she will arrive at the All England Club with the real possibility of becoming the first married woman to get her hands on the majestic silver plate since her fellow American Chris Evert in 1981.

While many professional sportswomen have difficulty maintaining their competitive focus after walking down the aisle, for Davenport marriage has had the opposite effect.

"I think I've been rather successful since I've been married and how I've done things," she said.

As part of her deal with her husband, Davenport has cut back on her schedule and no longer plays in any warm-up events before the French Open or Wimbledon.

After notching up her best result at Roland Garros for six years by advancing to the last eight -- something which was achieved despite her preparations including a holiday in Mexico -- the American believes she has discovered a winning formula.

"I'm married. My husband cannot travel. I have some different priorities," she said.

"Tennis is obviously on top but being away for five to six weeks at a time isn't part of our deal. I'm not going to do it.

"I get a bit more homesick and being in Europe for a few weeks doesn't make for a happy Lindsay.

"But I love playing Grand Slams and I never show up under-prepared at any tournament, so I'll be ready to go at Wimbledon."

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