Actually I kind of know when it’s going to rain Venus confided
“Actually, I kind of know when it’s going to rain,” Venus confided. “It’s strange, but last year I knew the weather was going to be good, and as the final rounds approached I just felt that it was going to rain.” She giggled “And it did.”Some players become anxious during rain delays “Not me,” Venus smiled. Instead of opening the 116th Wimbledon Championships at 1pm on Centre Court this afternoon, Pete Sampras will be nursing a back injury in the hope of being fit to play his first round match against Martin Lee, the British No 3, before the day is over. Sampras, who had played the Australian Todd Woodbridge at Stoke Park 48 hours earlier, withdrew from the Koubek match and consulted a doctor about the injury yesterday.
He will know the results of a scan this morning.Alan Mills, the Wimbledon referee, said last night: “As a result of sustaining an acute strain in the right lower ribs on Saturday, Pete Sampras requested a Tuesday start. Since we had already determined his half of the draw would play on Monday, we were unable to grant this particular request. However, as is the case with all players who ask for a late start, we were able to help him by putting him on third match Monday.” Andre Agassi, the 32-year-old No 3 seed, who won the men’s singles title in 1992, is scheduled to open play on Centre Court against Israel’s Harel Levy. They will be followed by Serena Williams, the French Open champion and No 2 seed, taking on the Australian Evie Dominikova.All being well, Sampras will then go on court to play Lee, a left-hander from London ranked No 98 in the world.
Sampras’s coach, Jose Higueras, said he did not view the injury as a serious problem, adding that Sampras rode an exercise bike yesterday without too much discomfort.A stressful weekend was the last thing Sampras needed coming into his favourite tournament. He was already short of match practice and confidence, having been unable to win a title anywhere since defeating Rafter in the Wimbledon final two years ago. Sampras showed admirable forbearance in winning the 2000 Championships; his record 13th Grand Slam title. He struggled with tendinitis of the left shin and foot from the second round to the end of the tournament, and practised only once. The previous year, Sampras withdrew from the United States Open after herniating a disc while practising the day before the start of the tournament. Until Saturday’s mishap, it would have been tempting to predict a final between Tim Henman and Sampras, with the fourth seed from Oxfordshire avenging semi-final defeats by Sampras in 1998 and 1999.
