Sky Sports.com - Wimbledon 2008

As we prepare for another tournament, Andy Schooler looks at the star names to grace the turf at SW19 and ranks his top five men and women of the Open era at Wimbledon - but do you agree?

MEN

1. Pete Sampras

Still the undisputed king of Wimbledon in my opinion. Criticised for his lack of personality, Sampras always said the game was all about winning and his tally of seven singles titles is simply phenomenal. Just think back to the 1990s and when Wimbledon came round. Wasn't it just a foregone conclusion? It certainly felt that way. There were bigger servers than Sampras but no-one used the delivery better than the American, in particular the second serve. The swinger out wide to the deuce court must have won him hundreds of points on Centre Court alone, while the big one down the T was equally devastating. He'd save break points with these serves over and over again. Not that his game was all about the serve. Sampras was one of the best volleyers the sport has seen and for years these two key elements made him virtually untouchable. Only an inspired Richard Krajicek beat him here between 1993 and 2000. Roger Federer may be coming up on the rails but for the moment Sampras remains the champion of champions.

2. Roger Federer

The Swiss maestro goes for a sixth consecutive title at this year's championships - a feat not even Sampras achieved. He's rewriting the tennis record books at the moment and Sampras' record of seven titles here certainly looks to be under threat. There's still work to do but with his array of shots anything seems possible. Federer has a better all-round game than Sampras ever did and some of the shots he conjures up appear to defy the laws of physics. Fine serve placement, deft touch at the net and a hugely powerful forehand are weapons the whole tour fears. He's also rarely flustered. Basically he's the complete package. But although Federer is the man who ended Sampras' reign of dominance here in 2001, for now he remains just behind the American star in our list.

3. Bjorn Borg

If he hadn't quit at the age of 26, the Swede could be sitting atop our list. Instead he's only considered one of the greatest at number three. Won five consecutive titles here, a record equalled by Federer last year, but one which shows what a player he was. Mental strength was a key part of Borg's game and it was an area he took to new levels, so much so that the words 'ice' and 'cool' will forever be linked with his name. Borg never appeared to be rattled on court - he simply got on with the job of winning. Even Federer has yet to pass his record of 41 consecutive victories at the All England Club. Truly one of the tournament's greats.

4. Rod Laver

Regarded by many as the greatest player of all-time, the Australian comes in at four on our list, mainly due to the fact that a large chunk of his career came before the Open era when professionals became eligible to play. He still managed two titles (in 1968 and 1969), making it four in all and did so playing outstanding tennis in both the fore and back court. Always held up as one of the great serve-volleyers, the 'Rockhampton Rocket' was also devastating from the baseline. Indeed he is credited with really bringing top-spin into the mainstream. His tennis in the late 60s at Wimbledon is still regarded as some of the best seen in south-west London, putting him just above men wth more Open-era titles.

5. Boris Becker

This is bound to be a controversial choice as the German edges out John McEnroe for fifth place on our list. However, you can't deny that Becker's statistics here stack up better. Like McEnroe, he lifted the famous trophy three times, but Becker also made four other finals and was a near-constant title threat from the moment he won here as a 17-year-old until his retirement in 1999. Importantly he also played some of the most exciting tennis ever seen at the tournament. His diving volleys brought a new element to the game, while his awesome serve - which earned him the nickname 'Boom-Boom' - was also a standard setter. Like Sampras, it would get him out of some tight situations - Becker was renowned for playing break points superbly. His entertaining personality made him a crowd favourite and helped propel him into our top five.

LADIES

1. Martina Navratilova

With a record nine singles titles, surely the undisputed queen of Wimbledon. Took athleticism to new heights in the women's game and made the Centre Court her own, winning six years on the spin during the 1980s. Excellent serve placement coupled with superb volleying skills ensured many of her rallies didn't go beyond three strokes, but when she did need to play from the backcourt the Czech-born star was more than capable. Despite her dominance, her on-court skills made sure she was always a crowd favourite. At present it's hard to see anyone getting near her record.

2. Steffi Graf

By winning seven titles in nine years, Graf is a clear second for us. At a time when the women's game appears wide open, it's hard to believe that Navrativlova's reign on Centre Court was immediately followed by Graf's domination. Unlike her predecessor, the German preferred to play from the baseline but a booming forehand (which admittedly occasionally broke down) and a superb sliced backhand were shots to be reckoned with. Her trademark high ball toss was the prelude to a big first serve which also won her plenty of cheap points on the slick grass. Like Navratilova she often had opponents beaten before she walked on court, such was her fearsome reputation.

3. Billie Jean King

Twenty Wimbledon titles in total make King one of the tournament's true greats, particularly when you consider that doubles held more weight in her 60s and 70s heyday. It's often forgotten just how good a player the American was - her name is first and foremost associated with the foundation of a professional women's tour. As her record suggests, King was a brilliant player, her serve-volley game being ideal for the lawns of SW19. Six singles titles were the highlight of her Wimbledon career and with her competitive nature make her surely the best of her generation. All in all, a living legend.

4. Chris Evert

Never managed to dominate on the grass like she did on the clay of Paris, but nevertheless remains a fine champion. Three times a singles winner, she was unlucky to come up against Navratilova so often here - five times losing to her in finals. There were 10 final appearances in all for the player who was taken to the fans' hearts, particularly after her marriage to British star John Lloyd. Showed that a baseline game could win on the grass with her power setting a new benchmark in the 70s. A key feature of that power game was a two-handed backhand, virtually unseen elsewhere at the time. The fact this has now become commonplace on the WTA Tour shows just what an impact Evert had.

5. Venus Williams

Williams' power play brought a new dimension to the women's game at the start of the current decade and she dominated for two years before sister Serena got in on the act. An awesome first serve propelled her to many an easy victory at the All England Club, while off the ground she was just as deadly. Her volleying was also underrated. Edges out Serena - at least for now - due to her longevity. Remember she returned for more glory in 2005 to win a third title against the odds and then last year produced more sparkling tennis to grab a fourth crown.

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