Hingis has all the trappings of a teenage champion

Martina Hingis, at 16 the youngest ever world No 1 tennis player - here sporting a replica costume and racquet of the 1887 Wimbledon champion Lottie Dod in front of the new No 1 court at the All England Club - will attempt over the next fortnight to become the youngest player to win a Wimbledon singles title since Dod (left) won in 1887, at the age of 15 years and 285 days, writes John Roberts.

Dod, the daughter of a wealthy Cheshire cotton broker, had to win only three matches to win the title; Hingis, who will be 17 in September, would have to win seven matches at this year's championships, which are scheduled, weather permitting, to begin this afternoon.

Hingis, a Slovakian-born Swiss, has already set many records. At the age of 13 she became the youngest winner of the Wimbledon junior girls' singles championship and last year she became the youngest winner of any Wimbledon senior title, when she won the women's doubles with Helena Sukova.

She became the youngest winner of a Grand Slam singles title this century when she won the Australian Open championship in January.

Wimbledon preview, Sport pages 6-15, including:

Exclusive Martina Hingis interview, pages 12-13

How I lost to Tim Henman's grandmother, page 9

Today's order of play, page 6

Exclusive photograph: Andrew Buurman