Hot Sampras eyes up the record books

It is becoming harder to mount an argument against Pete Sampras becoming the first player to win eight Wimbledon titles. In that light, it is becoming more difficult to determine where his record-winning charge will end.

Last year he matched William Renshaw's all-time record of seven singles wins and surpassed Roy Emerson for sole possession of the all-time record for most Grand Slam tournament singles titles with 13. Now Bjorn Borg's five in a row from 1976 to 1980 is looming. All that after just one round? Sampras will be quite content to have let the first day pass so uneventfully with his 6-4, 7-6, 6-4 defeat of Spain's Francisco Clavet.

History making has been with him for the past number of years. A slip here, a dodgy line call there, but the lush grass of day one was once again a comfort to last year's champion on a blistering hot day.

"You hear things, who I might play later on. But you can't look that far ahead," he said. "Too many good players that can knock you off. There is no point in looking at the quarters or semis.

"Obviously you have the threats. You have Henman (Tim) and Rafter (Pat) and Andre (Agassi, but you can't look that far ahead."

Sampras again reminded the public just why he holds Wimbledon in such a tight grasp. The two serves were again working their magic. As usual, it all appeared so effortless, precise and instinctive.

Two service breaks and a tie-break decided the match; yesterday favoured the tournament's big hitters. Goran Ivanisevic, these days relying on a wild card entry and playing with a problematic shoulder, posted a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Fredrik Jonsson to join his equally tormented soulmate Marat Safin in the second round.

Safin, seeded four, took four sets against Julian Knowle, dropping the third, and then took some convincing that he could actually win the tournament. Not quite the American can-do philosophy, but it has worked for Safin in the past, most notably in the 2000 US Open, which he won.

When asked what advice he would have for someone who wanted to bet on him to win the competition he said: "Don't do it, no, no, no. Otherwise I would bet on myself."

Sound advice which equally applies to the two principal local hopes, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, who kept their tournament alive, Henman more confidently than his Canadian-born compatriot.

His 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 boning of Russia's Artem Derepasko suggested that Henman, currently coachless, is in good enough form to pick his way through the draw, while Rusedski was positively beaming to get to one stage further than he did last year.

Having reconstructed his swing α la Nick Faldo, the British number two came through in four sets 7-6(2), 6-7(7), 7-6(1), 6-2, with 28 aces and winning 90 per cent of his service points. No rocket scientist needed there to work out where his power comes from.