THE TIMES’ RANKINGS : TENNIS TOP 10

MEN

No. Player Comment

1. Pete Sampras: Safin poses tough first-round test.

2. Patrick Rafter: Aussie chiropractor rides to rescue.

3. Andre Agassi: Healthy, wealthy and wise.

4. Yevgeny Kafelnikov: The tennis-playing enigma.

5. Todd Martin: Can he stay healthy for two weeks?

6. Nicolas Kiefer: 3rd round in 1st U.S. Open last year.

7. Magnus Norman: Wins fourth title of ’99.

8. Alex Corretja: Slowly emerging from malaise.

9. Richard Krajicek: Opens against wild-card Phillip King.

10. (tie) Nicolas Lapentti: Improving on hard courts.

Marat Safin: Boston provided the teen’s first ATP title.

*

WOMEN

No. Player Comment

1. Venus Williams: Hurricane Venus blew everyone away.

2. Martina Hingis: Nice to see better threads from Adidas.

3. Lindsay Davenport: Venus is in other half of draw.

4. Serena Williams: Ready for our daily dose of Serena.

5. Monica Seles: Overwhelmed against V. Williams.

6. Barbara Schett: In same quarter as V. Williams.

7. Julie Halard-Decugis: May face Davenport in 4th round.

8. Mary Pierce: Never advanced past quarters at Open.

9. Amanda Coetzer: Ditto.

10. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario: Bad first-round draw: Dokic.