Tennis Wimbledon - Court Circular: Horoscope points the way for Hingis
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Your support makes all the difference.MARTINA HINGIS has promised to return to the tennis circuit in better form than ever, but not before she's had a clear-the-air chat with her mum and mentor, Melanie Molitor. "Don't worry, I'll be back," the 18-year-old world No 1 told a Swiss colleague of Court Circular shortly before she flew to Zurich to recover from her first-round defeat to Jelena Dokic. "I don't want to put my whole life in front of the world right now," Hingis said. "Sometimes there are problems in life," she added. "But me and my mother get along. We don't have a problem. I need some time. I'll go to my mum and we'll sit down and discuss the future."
If only Martina, whose star sign is Libra, had read her horoscope in the current edition of the Wimbledon News she could have seen it all coming. "There were important choices to make in the springtime, when you came to an emotional or financial crossroads of some significance," the forecast reads, uncannily given the tantrums and defeat in the French Open. "If you have cause to regret the path you took, console yourself with the thought that as the summer gets underway, you will be given the perfect chance to alter course again." So come on, Martina, grasp that nettle and get to your mum. A turnaround is in the stars.
PETE SAMPRAS meets Danny Sapsford today with one eye on a sixth Wimbledon title but the 27-year-old American would have to win almost every year until retirement to come close to equalling the record for competition wins at SW19's most prestigious venue. The holder is not, of course, Martina Navratilova, who racked up 19 titles in all competitions in her remarkable career, nor even Billie Jean King, whose extraordinary 20 pipped the Czech-born American's total by one. Who then? Step forward Professor Bernard Neal, winner of every croquet championships bar two at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 1963. Prof Neal slipped up in 1964 and 1974, but with 34 titles, who's counting?
SAPSFORD IS ranked only four places behind Sampras at Wimbledon. Unfortunately for the 30-year-old British veteran, the outcome of today's match will have little to do with the alphabetical order of entries into the competition and everything to do with ability on the court. The differential in world rankings - Sampras is No 1 while Sapsford is a mere 594 places behind - suggests it will not be close. And given the Surrey-based player's memory, it will be fortunate if he manages to show up at all this afternoon. Until a Radio Five Live presenter reminded him yesterday morning, he was unaware he was due to follow an appearance yesterday afternoon in the men's doubles by showing up on the same court in the mixed event. "Am I?" he asked. What a pro.
DEEDS OF THE SEEDS
Men's singles
1 Sampras
plays
D Sapsford
in 3rd rd
Holder
Pete Sampras
(United States)
2 Rafter
plays
J Bjorkman
in 2nd rd
3 Kafelnikov
plays
C Pioline
in 3rd rd
4 Agassi
beat
G Canas
in 2nd rd
5 Krajicek
beat
Woodbridge
in 2nd rd
6 Henman
plays
S Grosjean
in 3rd rd
7 Philippoussis
plays
F Clavet
in 3rd rd
8 Martin
beat
J Novak
in 2nd rd
9 Rusedski
plays
M Norman
in 3rd rd
10 Ivanisevic
beat
S Stolle
in 2nd rd
11 Kuerten
beat
D Prinosil
in 2nd rd
12 Moya
lost to
J Courier
in 2nd rd
13 Kucera
plays
D Vacek
in 3rd rd
14 Haas
beat
Fromberg
in 2nd rd
15 Kiefer
lost to
B Becker
in 2nd rd
16 Mantilla
lost to
P Goldstein
in 2nd rd
OUT
Women's singles
1 Hingis
lost to
J Dokic
in 1st rd
Holder
Jana Novotna
(Czech Republic)
2 Graf
plays
C Morariu
in 3rd rd
3 Davenport
beat
Habsudova
in 2nd rd
4 Seles
plays
M Lucic
in 3rd rd
5 Novotna
beat
S Plischke
in 2nd rd
6 V Williams
plays
S Pitkowski
in 3rd rd
OUT
7 Sanchez
lost to
L Raymond
in 2nd rd
8 Tauziat
plays
Noorlander
in 3rd rd
9 Pierce
beat
R Grande
in 2nd rd
11 Halard-Decugis
beat
S Farina
12 Coetzer
plays
K Clijsters
in 3rd rd
13 Testud
plays
Tanasugarn
in 3rd rd
14 Schett
plays
Dechaume-Balleret
15 Van Roost
plays
Likhovsteva
in 3rd rd
OUT
16 Zvereva
lost to
T Panova
in 2nd rd
17 Kournikova
plays
Gorro-
chategui
LENS MAGNETS
A photo count from yesterday's national press (seedings in brackets)
MEN NUMBER OF PHOTOGRAPHS WOMEN
Greg Rusedski (9) 12 18 Anna Kournikova (17)
Danny Sapsford (-) 9 14 Steffi Graf (2)
Tim Henman (6) 8 7 Hingis (1) & Dokic (-)
The total photo count since 21 June
Tim Henman (6) 60 60 Anna Kournikova (17)
Greg Rusedski (9) 46 53 Martina Hingis (1)
Sampras (1) & Agassi (4) 25 30 Jelena Dokic (-)
CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS
132 The speed (mph) of Tim Henman's fastest serve on his way to beating Chris Woodruff.
9 The percentage of break points converted by American, Jan-Michael Gambill during his
five set loss to Lorenzo Manta, of Switzerland.
106 Points were won by Todd Martin during his straight sets victory over Jiri Novak.
32 Aces Goran Ivanisevic served to Sandon Stolle.
13 The number of service games Andre Agassi won in his match yesterday.
TV COVERAGE
BBC2: 12.0pm-8.30pm.
BBC1: 1.40pm-4.10pm.
Highlights: BBC2: 9.30pm.
TODAY'S WEATHER
Many parts will see unbroken sunshine. Wind mainly
light and variable.
Maximum temp 22C (72F).
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