DOB:22.03.1975 Nationality:Czech World Ranking:12 Previous Wimbledon results: 2001 ::second round 2000 ::first round 1999 ::second round 1998 ::first round

Novak raised a few eyebrows when he reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year, losing to eventual champion Thomas Johansson in a five-set thriller.

But he has since shown that form was no fluke, reaching the semi-finals in Dubai and in the Tennis Masters Series in Rome.

The 27-year-old is one of the few players to have successfully managed to play at the highest level in both singles and doubles.