Roddick Brings New Power to His Elbow and His Aces

The Brad Gilbert formula for success on grass is simple. "Concentrate. Don't give up your serve. Play every point with a sense of urgency. And don't celebrate until the match is over and won."

For nearly eight years Gilbert coached Andre Agassi, the current world No1 and Wimbledon champion in 1992, before Gilbert was with him. Now he is with Andy Roddick, the 20-year-old American who will aim to progress at least beyond the third round, something he has not managed in his two attempts so far.

He may be encouraged by the fact that until winning last year Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, who made his Wimbledon debut as an 18-year-old in 1999, had failed to go further than the last 16 in three visits.

"Nothing in the past matters. That's why Andre is still a genius. He's not harping on the stuff he didn't win, he's thinking about what's coming ahead," said Gilbert, who was replaced as Agassi's coach last year by Darren Cahill, formerly with Hewitt.

So Agassi, Hewitt and Roddick, who made his first major mark on grass by winning the Stella Artois title a week ago, are inextricably linked, with one of this trio likely to land the most coveted title in the world a week on Sunday.

This is not a little piece of Rule Britannia. Every player, apart from the most died-in-the-clay Spaniard, wants to win Wimbledon. Agassi, who won 11 years ago, was himself not always the tournament's staunchest defender, referring to the All England Club members as "bozos" in the early 90s. As Sports Illustrated was to remark acidly: "Agassi was recently born again. Now, if he could only grow up."

Grow up he has and at 33, when most have retired, he retains a realistic hope of a second Wimbledon title. In his last 16 grand slam events Agassi has made the quarter-finals or better 13 times. The Las Vegas legend is also in the opposite side of the draw to Hewitt and Roddick, who are seeded to meet in the quarter -finals.

Hewitt appeared well below his best at the French Open and Queen's whereas Roddick produced searing serves and returns at the Stella. However, Agassi had a match point in their semi-final and would fancy his chances over five sets if they were to meet in the Wimbledon final.

Roger Federer is best remembered for his fourth-round defeat of Pete Sampras two years ago. The 21-year-old Swiss, a former Wimbledon junior champion, has the physique and the shots to win - if only he had Hewitt's mental toughness.

Tim Henman admitted after last year's defeat by Hewitt, his fourth Wimbledon semi-final defeat in five years, that he would need to improve considerably to go two steps further. The draw looks encouraging but nobody should be surprised if his shoulder injury prevents him making it beyond the fourth round.

Greg Rusedski reached the quarter-finals at SW19 for the only time when he won at Nottingham six years ago and he will have been encouraged by repeating that for his 13th career title on Saturday, four more than Henman. The stumbling block is Roddick in the second round.

On the women's side it is difficult to see beyond Serena Williams and the Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne, though the latter, the French Open champion, is a doubtful starter after injuring a hand at the weekend and will need to be fully fit if she is to take on Williams in the semi-finals and beat her as she did at Roland Garros. Perhaps the more likely of the two Belgians is Clijsters. She could meet Chanda Rubin, the Eastbourne winner, in the quarter-finals and face Lindsay Davenport or Venus Williams in the semi-finals.

If Jennifer Capriati can regain her self-belief, then she might run Serena Williams close in the top half of the draw but judging by the younger Williams sister's comments this week she is bent on avenging her Roland Garros semi-final exit and keeping her third grand slam title.

It is Williams and Roddick for the titles then, power incorporated.