Ultimate test for Arthurs

Andre Agassi will probably have heard the drum beat around the locker room about the half Irishman who has not dropped a serve since the competition began.

Wayne Arthurs, whose father Derek played Davis Cup with Ireland in the sixties, defied the Wimbledon seeding to knock out German Tommy Haas (14) and earn himself a Court 1 showing with the best return of serve in the game, Agassi.

Arthurs' father played with Ireland alongside Michael Hickey, Peter Jackson, Jim Buckley and Robin Condy before emigrating to Australia. "The last six weeks he (Wayne) seems to have gone up a step. He won the doubles Super Nine in Hamburg and got to the quarter finals of the French Open in the doubles. So far in the tournament before Wimbledon and through the qualifiers Sampras is the only player to have broken his serve," said Derek.

Serving 47 aces so far Arthurs, who has not, according to his coach Brent Larkhan, been approached in recent years by Ireland regarding eligibility for Davis Cup tennis, has reached his highest singles peak in his career and has never played the American before.

"I'm going to have to keep serving the way I have been," said the 28 year, who is ranked 163 compared to Agassi's four. Agassi at 29, will also be the first player Arthurs has played in the competition, who is older than him.

"Theses matches are getting tougher when you're in the second week. I've played three base liners in a row, you just take them down one by one and be ready to step it up when needs be," said Agassi.

Clearly time for change from the fourth seed, as it will be for Tim Henman, who faces the relentless Jim Courier. Having criticised the organisers for not having medical drips on site to replenish his wasted body after the marathon match on Friday, Courier is like the bull that has been speared and stabbed and is still trying to gore the matador.

Back from the dead he will face local hero Henman on Centre Court in a match full of emotion. Why ? Because John McEnroe breezed in from New York to scathingly observe that: "the Brits had choked their little fannys off," when the US beat Britain in their Davis Cup tie earlier in the year. Courier beat Henman in that encounter. Look out for sparks.

The noble Boris shall also play in what is now his front living room.

Lleyton Hewitt maybe the brightest star to shine in the Australian constellation but the Wimbledon blue blood, Becker, royally dominated the talented cocky kid winning in three sets to earn a place against second seed Pat Rafter, altogether a different proposition. If Becker wins this one, put your money on him to win the competition.

Greg Rusedski and Mark Philippoussis on court one are big hitters, the Australian putting the only other surviving local hope into second division on ace count. With 80 versus 44 to date Rusedski has some catching up. The same applies to Todd Martin and Ivanisevic, although Ivanisevic, as a three time finalist, has proven an ability to weather heavy serves and play at the net with composure.

Ivanisevic's constant reference to "not losing my mind," are telling. The tenth seed has the equipment to win but just what does go on in his mind?

Slick Pete Sampras and Danny Nestor face each other for the first time, Sampras ranked 1 and Nestor 87. Given that it is Sampras with his 11 Grand Slam titles and the fact that he hasn't been beaten on grass this year, the chances of a Nestor win are the same as those of the Wimbledon organising committee adding nude mixed doubles to their centenary Wimbledon competition. Work out the odds of that happening.