In tennis, there's no faster playing surface than grass. And at Wimbledon, the points tend to be very short and players with big serving games tend to dominate.

	MAL-ADJUSTED
	Washington Former ATP Tour pro MaliVai Washington will provide ESPN.com with in-depth scouting reports and analysis throughout Wimbledon. Washington, a tennis analyst for ESPN who reached the 1996 Wimbledon final, begins with a look at the top contenders for the men's singles title.

A big serve is even bigger on grass, where the ball travels fast and just scoots right through the court. And because grass-court tennis doesn't lend itself to long points from the baseline, a player with a solid serve-and-volley game has an even bigger advantage.

A look at possible contenders for this year's Wimbledon title (tournament seed in parentheses):

(1) Pete Sampras, United States
Sampras, the top-seeded player, is definitely the favorite, despite his loss to Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt in the June 18 championship match of the Queen's Club tournament.

If Sampras wins, it'll be his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title and his seventh overall at the All-England Club. Another Wimbledon win would also mark Sampras' record-setting 13th career Grand Slam win.

Sampras' biggest strength is his serve, especially when he's consistent. Last year, when he won his sixth Wimbledon title, he probably didn't lose serve more than seven times (if that) in the entire tournament. That kind of accuracy puts a lot of pressure on your opponent and also frees up his own game. Since he is so successful when serving, Sampras can take more chances on the return. He's also a great volleyer and a great mover on the court.

In addition to a huge serve, Sampras also has tremendous confidence at Wimbledon. On clay, Sampras' opponents walk onto the court knowing they have the opportunity to beat one of the best players in the world. On grass, however, most people don't believe they're going to beat him. And when he walks onto a grass court, Sampras doesn't believe he's going to lose, either.

All-time Wimbledon record: 52-4

(2) Andre Agassi, United States
Even though his game makes him better suited for other surfaces, Agassi returns serve and hits ground strokes better than anybody in the game.

Although most of the grass-court specialists tend to serve and volley, Agassi stays at the baseline. He has good hand-eye coordination and good hand speed, which allows him to pick up those balls even though they're coming at him so quickly.

One question in Agassi's game this week is his recent injury. Judging from some of his quotes, the injury might appear to be a factor in the early rounds.

All-time Wimbledon record: 30-7

(7) Lleyton Hewitt, Australia
An outside favorite, Hewitt isn't going to win Wimbledon this year, but he's one of those guys who can do some damage if he gets on a roll.

His style is much like Agassi's. He's not a serve-and-volleyer. But he is quick around the court with good hands and ground strokes. He's a counter-puncher.

All-time Wimbledon record: 2-1

(12) Patrick Rafter, Australia
Rafter has been struggling ever since his shoulder surgery in October. But it will be interesting to see what happens when he gets on grass.

With his game and athletic ability, he has the opportunity to do pretty well.

All-time Wimbledon record: 17-7

(11) Richard Krajicek, Netherlands
Although Krajicek might be on the down slide -- he has fallen to No. 25 in the ATP rankings -- he is always dangerous.

In 1996, when he beat me for the Wimbledon crown, he lost just two sets in the tournament, and beat three-time defending champion Pete Sampras in the quarterfinals and former Wimbledon champ Michael Stich in the round of 16.

After wins like that, confidence was high and he got on a roll. It could happen again, especially since he has one of the tour's biggest serving games. However, Wayen Ferreira and Cedric Pioline offer potential tough matchups down the line.

All-time Wimbledon record: 24-8

(8) Tim Henman, Britain
You can't overlook Tim Henman. He has reached the semifinals each of the past two years, losing to eventual champion Pete Sampras each time. Henman also reached the quarterfinals in both 1996 and '97.

Best of all, Henman is home at Wimbledon, and loves playing at centre court. The first time he played there, in his opening match of the 1996 tournament, Henman rallied in the fifth set to beat Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Ever since, Henman has said centre court has felt like home.

Henman has a solid serve-and-volley game and is always trying to come into the net. However, he could struggle in the second round in a potential matchup with Goran Ivanisevic.

All-time Wimbledon record: 19-6

(10) Mark Philippoussis, Australia
With his game, it's kind of surprising Philippoussis hasn't done better at Wimbledon in the past. Of course, he also has lost to Pete Sampras in the quarterfinals each of the past two years.

While Philippoussis doesn't hit great volleys or returns, he is good at doing both and has a solid all-around game. He has the ability to win, and if things shake out right for him, Philippoussis could win the tournament.

What's interesting, however, is the rumor that three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker (1985, '86, '89) has been working with Philippoussis.

All-time Wimbledon record: 9-4