Sampras's haul a target for champion

Wimbledon Tennis:WHEN ROGER Federer steps on to Centre Court today to begin the defence of his title against Columbian and world number 65, Alejandro Falla, another tennis record becomes endangered. Despite falling to Lleyton Hewitt in Halle, Federer is confident his game is in good enough shape to take on all comers as he targets Pete Sampras's record haul of seven Wimbledon titles.

After the champion reacquaints himself with the familiar surroundings, Britain’s former junior champion and wild card Laura Robson will make her Centre Court debut against Serbian fourth seed Jelena Jankovic. Five-time champion Venus Williams is among those also in action on day one, while her younger sister and reigning women’s champion, Serena, will play tomorrow, along with Scotland’s Andy Murray and French Open champion Rafael Nadal.

“Obviously I’m thinking about equalling it (seventh title) a little bit because I’m aware of the great things he (Sampras) achieved,” said Federer, who beat the American’s record of 14 Grand Slam titles in an epic final with Andy Roddick last year.

“It’s nice of him to say I could beat his Wimbledon record but I don’t feel pressure from that because people compared me to Sampras even when I had no Grand Slams.

“Obviously my game’s made for grass. Since I came here as a junior and since I beat Pete here in 2001 and I won my first Wimbledon here in 2003, I think every time I play, I’ll have a chance to win here.”

Fifth seed Roddick also gets off on the first day, when he takes on fellow American Rajeev Ram in the second match on Court One. Roddick’s match follows seventh seed Nikolay Davydenko’s opener with Kevin Anderson.

The 2002 champion, Hewitt, should take comfort from his stunning win over Federer last week. Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez and the Aussie will entertain the evening crowd in the final match on Court Two.

He won’t, however, have all the attention to himself as Venus Williams also goes on last on Court One, although, it’s likely the American will be tucked up at home before Hewitt even hits a ball.

Scheduled to meet her sister Serena in the final for the fifth time and third year in a row, Venus takes her first and typically unsure steps against Paraguay’s Rossana de los Rios, whose name it has been said, is longer than her usual stay at SW19.

Belgium’s Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters return from a miscellany of things – retirement, babies, and fractured personal relationships. Henin, whose game is suited to the grass, has made a first Wimbledon championship a priority. Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova stands in her way, while Clijsters will make her first competitive appearance at the All England Club for four years.

Now a mother, Clijsters has been suffering from a foot injury in recent weeks. “The foot isn’t 100 per cent yet but I haven’t had any problems other than a few aches,” she said. She faces Italian Maria Elena Camerin in the opening match on Court Two.