Age 29. Best performance: Winner 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996.

Sampras has not been the dominant player in men's tennis for most of the past decade without pacing himself through the season.

Since winning his seventh Wimbledon crown and 13th Grand Slam overall in July, he has nursed himself back from the shin injury that affected him in London.

He reached the quarter finals in Toronto, losing a deciding third set tie-break to eventual winner Marat Safin and went out in the third round to Tim Henman at Cincinnati.

Modest by his own high standards, but Sampras is an expert at easing himself into top gear when it matters. Last year a herniated back disc meant he could not compete.