MELBOURNE, Jan 18: The new teen stars of tennis, led by sisters Venus and Serena Williams, are set to dominate the first day of the Australian Open tomorrow.Centre court has been reserved for the Williams girls and 16-year-old Australian Lleyton Hewitt who stunned the tennis world by winning the Australian Hardcourt Championship this month. The trio get equal billing with men's number one Pete Sampras and home favourite Mark Philippoiussis.
All the top players were out for final practice today for the US $6.5 million Grand Slam, now in its 10th year at Melbourne Park.
Sampras, who plays world number 51, Sjeng Schalken of The Netherlands, said he was happy to let the teenagers monopolise attention.
At 26, the American is an oldie but reckons he could top the rankings for at least another two years. Despite a recent injury and two defeats in the Kooyong Classic last week, he says he is ``fresh'' and seems to be hitting the ball with his usual ferocity.
``The motivation is there,'' said Sampras,
winner of 10 Grand Slam titles, two less than the all-time record. ``Whenever a grand slam comes around, if I'm not motivated then I shouldn't be playing. I'm going to be there. Let's just hope that I play well.''
Sampras has 992 computer-ranking points to defend in the Open during the fortnight, where point totals are worth twice as much as at regular tournaments.
US Open champion Pat Rafter, who says it is just a question of time before he takes over as number one, does not start until Tuesday with number three seed Michael Chang.
Even if Sampras were to surprisingly to lose early in the fortnight at Melbourne Park, the 25-year-old Rafter would still have to earn 317 points -- likely a semifinal place -- in order to overtake the American in the standings.
Sampras holds a margin of more than 1,300 on Rafter, who climbed into the main contender's position by winning the US Open last year and who will certainly have crowd support on his side. The other 16 Aussies in the draw will also benefit.
But
Australian fans will get a hero to cheer on when Philippoussis, the number 15 seed, takes on Alex Calatrava of Spain.
Rafter's re-emergence -- he was the great Aussie hope in 1994 before a string of injuries -- has ignited tennis once again in the heat of an Australian summer, where temperatures will surely touch 40 degrees centigrade at least once over the next two weeks.
That kind of heat will bring into force a new policy which requires closing the moveable roof over centre court as soon as the match in progress is completed and not starting any more matches on the outside courts at the complex.
The policy has drawn fire from some who contend tennis is an outdoor sport, but local officials say their searing, dry heat is like no other in the tennis world and the young ballboys and ballgirls are particularly vulnerable.
After complaints last year by players that the courts seemed slower, the opposite appears to be the case now.
``Conditions are a little different than last year, when everyone,
including myself, was complaining that the balls were too furry and too heavy,'' said Sampras. ``This year they seem a little bit quicker and lighter through the air. It's just a slight difference.''
With Martina Hingis now women's number one, the rise of the teen stars has shaken some tour veterans and the absence of Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Jana Novotna means the hard-hitting youngsters are brimming with confidence.
``We are not nervous about this at all. People know us. This is going to be the year of the Williams,'' said 17-year-old Venus Williams.
Hewitt, the third youngest player to win a men's tour title and the youngest in the men's draw, will start centre court proceedings against Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic.
Then Serena Williams, 16, starts her first Grand Slam against sixth seed Irina Spirlea of Romania. Big sister Venus beat Spirlea in last year's US Open semi-final in an acrimonious encounter.
And though the claws are not fully extended yet, it is clear that Venus Williams
is looking for a fight with fellow 17-year-old Hingis in the battle to be number one.
She beat Hingis in Sydney last week and insists the Swiss star is vulnerable. ``People have seen her play and a lot of the girls are stronger than her and they can manipulate that. A lot of the girls are faster than her.''
If the Williams family challenge fizzles out, there is still Russian 16-year-old Anna Kournikova, and 15-year-old Croat Mirjana Lukic at the head of a pack waiting for their chance.
Lindsay Davenport, the second seed who starts against Amelie Cocheteux of France on Court two, is only 21 but admitted after losing to Serena Williams in Sydney that she felt middle-aged against the ``incredible generation'' on the tour.
Amanda Coetzer, ranked fourth in the world, lost to Lucic in her first tournament last year. Lucic went on to win her debut event while Coetzer now says she can see the writing on the wall.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
