Dateline: 07/01/01

Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo, and Yevgeny Kafelnikov were the highest seeds knocked out of Wimbledon in its first week, but none of these three was considered likely to get through to the final. Still in the running are Pete Sampras, Lleyton Hewitt, Patrick Rafter, and Tim Henman, the four men with the best chances, and Jennifer Capriati, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Lindsay Davenport, the top female contenders. Three younger women, Jelena Dokic, Justine Henin, and Kim Clijsters, also look good into week two.

Pete Sampras, the men's top seed and heavy favorite, had a good scare against an almost completely unknown British player, Barry Cowan, who, ranked number 265 in the world, took him to five sets in the second round on Wednesday. At first glance, this might seem to indicate some new vulnerability in Sampras, but it's really more of a credit to some great play by Cowan. Sampras played fairly well against Cowan, and he won his next round against Sargis Sargsian in straight sets to tie Rod Laver's record of 31 consecutive Wimbledon wins.

If any player has looked utterly dominant, it's Serena Williams, who has averaged just 48 minutes per match in disposing of her first three opponents, losing only eight games altogether thus far. None of her major rivals has lost a set, though.

Fourth-round play begins Monday with a few potentially tough matches, but the quarterfinals are where the top contenders will first meet.

In the top quarter of the draw, absent Martina Hingis, who lost in the first round, Justine Henin should make it through to the semifinals.

Jennifer Capriati and Serena Williams look to have fairly easy fourth-round matches and should face each other in the second bracket's quarterfinals. Jennifer has looked shaky, despite not dropping a set, and Serena has looked rock solid. On the other hand, Jennifer has had the far better year, and her game is no less suited to grass than to the French Open clay and Australian Open Rebound Ace upon which she won earlier this year. This one is too close to call.

The third quarter of the draw will offer the best fourth-round competition. Kim Clijsters should prevail in a tough battle with Meghann Shaughnessy. If Lindsay Davenport is at her best and Jelena Dokic isn't, Davenport will cruise, but if the reverse is true, Dokic won't cruise, but she might fight through for a big upset. Davenport has the best chance overall to make the semifinals.

Venus Williams should have a pretty easy road through the bottom quarter into the semis.

The winner of the second quarter, Capriati or Serena Williams, should represent the top half in the final. The bottom half is tighter, but I think Venus Williams will get through.

Page Two: Men's Singles Predictions