Wimbledon obliges former Grand Slam winners

Wimbledon obliges former Grand Slam winners

London, June 20: Former Grand Slam winners Pat Rafter and Richard Krajicek were rewarded by the Wimbledon organisers by being seeded 12 and 11th respectively despite being currently ranked outside the top 16 in the World. The Tournament is starting from June, 26.

Krajicek, 28, and ranked 25th in the World, has been showing top form since returning after a knee injury reaching the final of the Halle Open on Sunday giving clear signs that he may well be a contender to add to his 1996 crown.

There are no real surprises with the women's seedings, where World number one the `Swiss Miss' Martina Hingis is named the top seed above defending champion Lindsay Davenport, who is currently testing out her back which she injured in the Italian Open at the WTA event in Eastbourne.

Canadian-born Frenchwoman Mary Pierce will be pleased to be seeded third. Grass is not her favourite surface, but she is the in-from player on the circuit following her victory in the French Open.

Seedings (ATP and WTA ranking in parentheses):

Men: 1. (3) Pete Sampras (US), 2. (1) Andre Agassi (US), 3. (2) Magnus Norman (Sweden), 4. (4) Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil), 5. (5) Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia), 6. (6) Cedric Pioline (Fra), 7. (7) Lleyton Hewitt (Australia), 8. (14) Tim Henman (Brit), 9. (8) Thomas Enqvist (Swe), 10. (17) Mark Philippoussis (Australia), 11. (25) Richard Krajicek (Netherlands), 12. (27) Patrick Rafter (Australia), 13. (12) Nicholas Kiefer (Ger), 14. (21) Greg Rusedski (Brit), 15. (9) Marat Safin (Russia), 16. (10) Nicolas Lapentti (Ecuador)

Women: 1. (1) Martina Hingis (Switz), 2. (2) Lindsay Davenport (US), 3. (3) Mary Pierce (Fra), 4. (4) Conchita Martinez (Spain), 5. (5) Venus Williams (US), 6. (6) Monica Seles (US), 7. (7) Nathalie Tauziat (Fra), 8. (8) Serena Williams (US), 9. (9) Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Spa), 10. (10) Sandrine Testud (Fra), 11. (11) Anke Huber (Ger), 12. (12) Amanda Coetzer (SA), 13. (13) Amelie Mauresmo (Fra), 14. (14) Julie Halard-Decugis (Fra), 15. (15) Barbara Schett (Austria), 16, (16) Dominique Van Roost (Belgium)