CENTRE COURT ANGLES : BEST PLOT: SAMPRAS SEEKING 12TH MAJOR.

Byline: Associated Press 

Weather aside, the outlook at Wimbledon is unusually bright.

Sure, there's always the threat of rain. And Wimbledon remains susceptible to criticism that lawn tennis is duller than watching grass courts grow, especially on the men's side.

But this year the tournament coincides with a sudden upswing in the sport's popularity, the result of two dramatic, emotional finals at the French Open earlier this month.

Wimbledon opens Monday with the focus on five-time champion Pete Sampras, who seeks a record-tying 12th Grand Slam title. And thanks to Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, who staged career comebacks in Paris, there will be plenty of subplots:

Can a rejuvenated Agassi become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year?

Now that Graf has her first Grand Slam title since 1996, can she win Wimbledon for the eighth time?

Or will youth be served? Will Venus Williams bounce back from disappointment in Paris to claim the family's first Grand Slam title?

How will Martina Hingis perform following a French Open that ended in jeers and tears? Will she continue to serve underhand? Will British fans boo if she does?

Can Boris Becker, in his last Wimbledon, draw inspiration from Agassi's showing in Paris?

And finally, what in the world is John McEnroe doing out there with a racket?

To answer the last question first: The 40-year-old McEnroe, who often leads complaints that grass-court tennis has become boring, plans to interject his own excitement by playing mixed doubles with Graf.

That's a sideshow, and the Sampras story line will dominate Centre Court. He won Wimbledon in 1998 for the fifth time in six years but hasn't reached the past three Grand Slam finals, skipping the Australian Open entirely. He needs one major title to match Roy Emerson's record of 12.

Sampras' slump this spring, capped by a second-round exit at Paris, prompted speculation that he's in decline at age 27. But he also struggled early in 1998 before winning Wimbledon, and a return to grass rejuvenated his game again last week, when he beat Tim Henman in the final at Queen's.

``I'm trying to mentally put the first four or five months behind me,'' Sampras said. ``It's been an up-and-down year, and I haven't played very many matches. I haven't felt like I've been in a great rhythm.

``I'm in the same boat I was last year at this time. Wimbledon turned my year around and I hope that's the case this year.''

Agassi's resurgence creates the tantalizing prospect of a showdown with Sampras in the final. Their rivalry was once the most touted in tennis, but they haven't met in a Grand Slam tournament since the 1995 U.S. Open final, which Sampras won.

Agassi's first major title came at Wimbledon in 1992, and two weeks ago he became only the fifth man to win all four Grand Slams. Now he'll try to become the first man to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Borg did it three times in a row, 1978-1980.

``That would be something,'' Agassi said. ``I certainly know I have a lot more tennis in me.''

Two days after winning the French, Agassi withdrew from a tournament in Halle, Germany, complaining of a sore thigh. But he practiced at Wimbledon several days this week and pronounced himself ready to challenge for the title.

``It can happen for me,'' Agassi said following a two-hour workout Saturday. ``I wouldn't have believed what happened two weeks ago. Two weeks from now, who knows?''

Less convincing is the optimism expressed by Becker, who announced his retirement from Grand Slam competition in 1997, then decided this year to make one final appearance at Wimbledon. He has won the tournament three times but not since 1989.

``Two or three years ago I considered myself one of the few who had a chance at Wimbledon,'' Becker said. ``I know I can play well on grass. I'm going to give a difficult match to anybody who is going to play me on it.''

On the women's side, the sentimental favorite is Graf, who will try to build on her stunning performance in Paris. The Grand Slam title was Graf's 22nd, capping her comeback from a series of injuries that threatened her career.

``She surprised everybody and herself with the way she played,'' defending Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna said. ``She played some of her best tennis in years. Her chances of playing well at Wimbledon and possibly winning it are great.''

Don't count out Novotna, though. She sprained her right ankle playing doubles at the French but expects to be ready for Wimbledon.

WIMBLEDON

June 22 - July 4

at the All England Club

WIMBLEDON TOP SEEDS

MEN

1. Pete Sampras, U.S.

2. Patrick Rafter, Australia

3. Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Russia

4. Andre Agassi, U.S.

5. Richard Krajicek, Netherlands

6. Tim Henman, Britain

7. Mark Philippoussis, Australia

8. Todd Martin, U.S.

9. Greg Rusedski, Britain

10. Goran Ivanisevic, Croatia

11. Gustavo Kuerten, Brazil

12. Carlos Moya, Spain

13. Karol Kucera, Slovakia

14. Tommy Haas, Germany

15. Nicolas Kiefer, Germany

16. Felix Mantilla, Spain

WOMEN

1. Martina Hingis, Switzerland

2. Steffi Graf, Germany

3. Lindsay Davenport, U.S.

4. Monica Seles, U.S.

5. Jana Novotna, Czech Republic

6. Venus Williams, U.S.

7. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Spain

8. Nathalie Tauziat, France

9. Mary Pierce, France

11. Julie Halard-Decugis, France

12. Amanda Coetzer, South Africa

13. Sandrine Testud, France

14. Barbara Schett, Austria

15. Dominique Van Roost, Belgium

16. Natasha Zvereva, Belarus

17. Anna Kournikova, Russia

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

PHOTO Defending Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras has a chance to win his 12th Grand Slam title, which would tie him in the record books with Aussie Roy Emerson.

Roy Letkey/Associated Press

BOX: WIMBLEDON TOP SEEDS (see text)