Sampras Gets Good Draw At Wimbledon

There are few big servers in Pete Sampras’ way as he seeks his fourth Wimbledon title in five years. But there’s another Swede in his path.

Tuesday’s draw presented the top seed with a favorable bracket but a potentially tricky first-round match against Mikael Tillstrom at the All England Club, with the tournament to start Monday at Wimbledon, England.

On the women’s side, top-seeded Martina Hingis, 16, could become the youngest Wimbledon singles champion of the century. She faces a field that will be without injured Steffi Graf, but two intriguing tests could await en route to the semifinals - Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport.

On paper, the 54th-ranked Tillstrom shouldn’t pose a great threat. But Sampras has been off his game recently, with his two most recent losses coming against Swedes - Magnus Norman in the third round of the French Open and Jonas Bjorkman in the quarterfinals at Queen’s Club last week.

Venus Williams celebrated her 17th birthday by beating Chanda Rubin 6-4, 6-4 in Eastbourne, England, in a match between two of the most promising female players in the United States.

“I am a Jehovah’s Witness,” she said. “We don’t celebrate birthdays.” Williams’ next opponent is France’s Nathalie Tauziat, who upset No. 5 seed Mary Joe Fernandez 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.

French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, playing for the first time on grass, was routed 6-1,7-5 by big-serving Greg Rusdski in the Nottingham Open at Nottingham, England.

The Brazilian was beaten in 53 minutes in the first-round match, losing on a powerful serve he couldn’t return.

John McEnroe rebounded from a one-set deficit to win the Big Bear Champions men’s over-35 tournament at the New Albany, Ohio, Country Club.

McEnroe beat Johan Kriek 1-6, 6-3, 10-5 in the rain-delayed final.

When players split the two sets, a Champions Tiebreak is played, with the winner the first to win 10 points with a two-point margin.