Agassi expects, Henman just hopes

WORLD number one Andre Agassi insists his desire to add to his solitary Wimbledon title of 11 years ago grows stronger with each passing year.

Agassi made a successful start to this year's campaign with a useful 6-4 6-0 5-7 6-4 win over battling British number seven Jamie Delgado.

The 33-year-old American is the senior player in the men's singles draw this year and if he lifts the coveted trophyhe will be the oldest man to do so in Open history.

Agassi said: "For me, at this stage of my career, it is quite a feeling to be out there. You never know how many chances you are going to get again. I just feelas I get older I have more capacity to embrace those moments."

Agassi was made to work harder than expected by an opponent whose form has nose-dived over the last two years.

Third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero enjoyed an easy passage into the second round with a straight sets win over France's Jean-Rene Lisnard.

The clay-court specialist, who recently claimed his first Grand Slam title at the French Open, lost just six games and the Spaniard could be a surprise packageHolland's Martin Verkerk was another casualty however, losing to Swedish qualifier Robin Soderling in four sets.

France's Michael Llodra set up a second round clash with Tim Henman with a four-set win over Spain's David Sanchez, the 6-3 6-4 6-7 6-3 victory only the left-hander's second win at Wimbledon in the singles.

David Nalbandian set out to prove his appearance in last year's final was no flash in the pan with an impressive first round victoryNalbandian was expected to face a tough test against former semi-finalist Vladimir VoltchkovBut the 21-year-old Argentinian recorded a comfortable 7-5 6-4 6-2 victory to book a second round clash with Brazil's Andre Sa, who was leading 6-2 3-2 when opponent Mariano Puerta retired hurt.

Nalbandian could face Henman in the fourth round and, on this evidence and that of Henman's first round struggle to overcome 'lucky loser' Tomas Zib, the sixth seed would have to be favourite.

If Henman is going to satisfy the expectation of a nation and bring home the most famous trophy in tennis for the first time in 67 years. It is going to take a tennis miracle.

That much was evident as Britain's great tennis hope treated us to a typical diet of tentative serving and imaginative ground strokes, all garnished with the almost obligatory lapses in concentration during his 6-2 7-6 3-6 6-1 first round victory againstTomas Zib a match Henmandescribed as a 'dogfight'.

Argentinian Guillermo Coria became the highest seed after Lleyton Hewitt to bow out, losing in straight sets to Belgium's Olivier Rochus.

Belgium's Xavier Malisse, ast year's beaten semi-finalist, lost in straight sets to French qualifier Cyril Saulnier.

Saulnier had won just one previous grand slam match in his career but outplayed the 14th seed to win 6-4 6-3 6-2 and set up a second round match with Australia's Mark Philippoussis.

Philippoussis recovered from the loss of the second set to beat Argentina's Mariano Zabaleta 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-2 and must surely now be considered a genuine contender to emerge from the bottom half of the draw.