Sampras makes light of Lee and rib injury

Wimbledon opened in glorious sunshine yesterday, warming everybody, from the queuing spectators on Church Road to Pete Sampras and his sore ribs on Centre Court. The seven-times champion responded by working his way successfully, though gingerly at times, through his opening match against Martin Lee, the British No 3.

For the 24-year-old Lee, the match was an opportunity; for the 30-year-old Sampras, it was a question of survival, a chance to buy a day off to rest before attempting to build his form and confidence to the point where he becomes a serious contender.

"I feel fine," the sixth-seeded Sampras said after winning, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. "The injury is not going to be an issue. Stepping on Centre Court, it was like coming home again."

There were times when Lee threatened to hurt the former world No 1 far more than the lower back muscle Sampras strained while stretching on a training table on Saturday. Sampras was relieved that Lee was only able to convert one of 19 break points ­ or, as Lee preferred put it, that the great American played well enough on those points to save them.

Sampras certainly had reason to breathe more steadily after salvaging two set points at 5-6 in the second set, by winning a duel of half-volleys and then delivering a unreturnable serve.

Given the impetus of levelling the match, which would have set the crowd roaring even more heartily, we can only speculate how close Lee would have come to causing the first major upset of the tournament. Sampras would not have relished having to start afresh at 1-1. When it came to the tie-break, however, he was ruthless, winning the first five points and converting his first set point to win the shoot-out, 7-1.

"If I go back over the break points I had," Lee said, "there's not one that I definitely should have won. Pete served very well on a lot of them. You can see why he's won seven Wimbledons. Normally, the first two rounds where I've seen him, he doesn't play as well as that. I think he had to play well today, because I was playing well."

The left-handed Londoner differed from other Brits outside the Big Two, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, in that he was able to walk through the Wimbledon gates on the merit of his world ranking rather than the hand-out of a wild card. That said, Lee only just made it in time. He was No 94 when the draw was made, since when he has slipped to No 116 in the ATP tournament entry system.

"Martin played very well," Sampras said. "He served well and returned well. It's always a bit tricky when you play a lefty on grass. I felt like I played in spurts: down a couple of set points, a couple of tense moments. I played a little bit up and down. All in all, a first match is always one you just want to get through. I was happy I won in straight sets." Twenty-seven aces and 13 double-faults underlined how erratic Sampras was.

Sampras and Lee would have opened the proceedings on Centre Court but for Sampras's injury, though the American denied that Wimbledon had let him down by not allowing him a Tuesday start. "I asked to play on Tuesday," Sampras said. "I figured it was a long shot, because they want to keep the halves [of the draw] the same. Alan Mills [the referee] said: 'How about playing third?' I said: 'I'll take that'. That's what happened. Pretty simple."

Lee said: "I went into the match thinking that he wouldn't have an injury. The way he played, I don't think he did have an injury."

One British "lefty" did prevail. Greg Rusedski, the 23rd seed, proved too strong for Jurgen Melzer, an Austrian qualifier, winning, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5, on Court One. Rusedski, the British No 2, won the first set after only 17 minutes and was not troubled until broken back to 4-4 in the third set.

Rusedski broke again to 6-5 and lost only one point in serving out the match. "You don't win the Wimbledon junior by fluke," Rusedski said, complimenting his 21-year-old opponent. "Jurgen moves very well and serves very well. I managed to get on top of him in the first survive game and break early, which set the tone for the match."

Jamie Delgado, a British wild card whose successful junior career foundered when it came to make the difficult transition to the ATP Tour, was one of the most talked about players in SW 19 last night. After recovering from two sets to love down, Delgado went on to hold four match points against Nicolas Lapentti, of Ecuador, the 22nd seed. Lapentti saved them and won, 6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5. He now plays Barry Cowan, a wild card from Southport, who pushed Sampras to five sets in the second round last year. Cowan won his first-round match yesterday against Attila Savolt, of Hungary, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Andre Agassi, the third seed, looked fit and sharp when opening play on Centre Court with a 6-0, 6-4, 6-4, win against Harel Levy, of Israel. "The court was playing beautifully," Agassi said. "I just felt great being out there."

Asked how much of a factor it was to be one of only three former champions in the draw, Agassi said: "In the last two matches of the tournament there could be four guys that have never been past the quarters. Have to wait and see." Good advice.