Semifinal a Test of True Brit

Pete Sampras figures the Wimbledon fans know the difference between a Brit-come-lately and the true article. Even so, he’s glad now he experienced playing newly minted Englishman Greg Rusedski at Wimbledon in the fourth round in 1995.

Because today, he gets home-grown Tim Henman in the semifinals.

“I’m expecting them obviously to be rooting for Tim, but in a match I played a couple of years ago against [Canadian-born] Rusedski, when all of a sudden he turned English, that was tough,” Sampras said.

“But I think the toughest crowd I’ve ever played in front of was probably against Boris [Becker] in Germany.

“It’s going to be tough [today]. I feel I’m ready.”

The defending champion and top-seeded Sampras against 12th-seeded Henman is obviously the marquee Centre Court match, but the other semifinal, between ninth-seeded Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands and 14th-seeded Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia, also has some compelling qualities.

Krajicek, the 1996 Wimbledon champion, is slowed by a knee injury, and Ivanisevic has one eye on the court, the other on the Croatian soccer team in the World Cup. Ivanisevic has reached two Wimbledon finals, losing to Andre Agassi in 1992 and Sampras in 1994.

This will be the 11th meeting between Krajicek and Ivanisevic, Ivanisevic holding an 8-2 edge and having won their last eight matches. Wimbledon has been a respite in what has been a downward cycle for the Croatian. Since reaching the quarterfinals at the 1997 Australian Open, Ivanisevic had won only one Grand Slam match before arriving here.

Sampras and Henman are frequent practice partners and played doubles together last month in a warmup for Wimbledon.

They have played each other only twice and not since the second round at Wimbledon in 1995, when Sampras won in straight sets.

“[Henman] has added a lot of strength,” said Sampras, who has not lost a set in five matches here. “He’s a lot more powerful and has a good all-around game. There’s not many players today that have that. He does everything well. It will be a straightforward grass-court match.”

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Today’s Men’s Semifinals

* Goran Ivanisevic (14), Croatia vs. Richard Krajicek (9), Netherlands.

* Pete Sampras (1), Tampa, Fla. vs. Tim Henman (12), Britain.