21st June, 1999
TIME FOR AN AUSSIE TO REIGN
IT is 12 years since Pat Cash held aloft the Wimbledon trophy, but I think another Aussie is due to break through this year. We have a number of strong, accomplished players and there's no reason why one of us can't make it through to the final week - hopefully a couple of us can.
The draw hasn't been kind to all of us, but I think there's a case to be maade for just about all of the Australians to win their opening round matches - and that includes Scott Draper, who has got to play the defending champion Pete Sampras.
This how I see the opening rounds going:
Draper v Sampras: It's going to be a real tough one for Scotty. He is obviously going to have to serve well to have a chance of beating Sampras. But the conditions will be well in his favour.
The first couple of days at Wimbledon are notoriously slippery when the courts are fresh and green. Their lushness makes the ball stay low and it's often under these circumstances that you have upsets.
Although it's a difficult task for Scott to beat a bloke who's won five of the past six titles, there's no reason why he can't win.
Jason Stoltenerg v Greg Rusedski: Stolts has got to get Rusedski's serve back and, if he succeeds, he can then work on breaking down the rest of Rusedski's game. The players who have been able to do that generally find that Rusedski can be vulnerable.
Having said that, Rusedski is bloody dangerous on grass. But Stolts is such a great athlete, he can go with Rusedski and beat him. But Stolts is such a great athlete, he can go with Rusedski and beat him.
Lleyton Hewitt v Marcelo Filippini: Lleyton will win this match. Marcelo is psyched out by the prospect of playing on grass. He didn't play Wimbledon in eight or nine years and he's somehow managed to get hold of a wild card into the tournament. I don't think it's going to help him too much.
Lleyton in three sets.
Richard Fromberg v Magnus Gustafsson: Frommy has a great serve and that could prove decisive. I played Gustafsson at Wimbledon last year and got through in a tough match.
He's got a good game on grass. There will be lots of baseline rallies here, but I think Frommy can get through in four or five tough sets.
Todd Woodbridge v Orlin Stanoytchev: I played Orlin about a year ago and wasn't that impressed with his game, but he's improved a fair bit since then.
I think Todd will win in straight sets because he's such a good grasscourter.
Wayne Arthurs v Vincenzo Santopadre: Wayne is a very dangerous grasscourter. He really cranks that left-handed serve and he plays a big game on grass.
I can't see Santopadre giving him much trouble.
SandonStolle v John van Lottum: Van Lottum is pretty capable on grass and he beat Siemerink last week in Rosmalen. Siemerink beat me in Halle recently, so I know how well he plays.
Van Lottum can have concentration lapses and Sandon is obviously playing well, having got through qualifying.
I think Sandon can squeeze through in four.
Andrew Ilie v Wayne Ferreira: Andrew is such a powerful player and has got so much talent, but he's yet to work it out on grass. His game is not really cut out for it and Ferreira is a bloody good grasscourter and he fires up for the Slams.
I think he will make things pretty difficult for Andrew.
Mark Philippoussis v Xavier Malisse: Mark didn't put up a great performance at Queen's Club and later admitted his attitude wasn't right on the day.
I'm sure he'll fire right up for this and, if he does, don't expect him to be overly troubled by Malisse.
Mark Woodforde v Dominik Hrbaty: Mark is such an experienced and tough competitor, but Hrbaty is going to be hard to beat. He's got a whopping big serve and he returns pretty well.
I think Hrbaty will give Mark a really rough time, but I think "Pecker" can get through.
Myself v Cristiano Caratti: Caratti came through qualifying so he's clearly playing well, but I can't say it's a bad draw. It would have been much tougher to have played an Aussie in the first round.
Caratti is not a big player and I don' t know if he's going to serve and volley. I'm feeling pretty good about my game and I'm playing well because I'm serving well.