Greg Rusedski, assuming he makes it to Wimbledon, will begin his title challenge against a qualifier, but will have noted that his bete noire, the 14th seed Goran Ivanisevic, is in his quarter of the draw and so is a potential fourth-round opponent.

Rusedski has never beaten the Croatian, twice a runner-up at the championships. The British number one is expected to have a further scan on his injured left ankle today.

Prior to any meeting with Ivanisevic, Rusedski faces potentially tough matches against the two Todds: Martin of the United States and Australia's Wood bridge, who beat him in the Australian Open this year.

But Rusedksi, speaking before his injury, placed little importance on the draw or seedings and said: "All the work I did over the last nine or 10 months has given me a higher seeding and a chance to maybe miss a few players. "But there are definitely going to be a few dangerous floaters out there you don't want to meet early on. You have to hope for a good draw even if you are seeded."

Tim Henman, seeded 12 and in the same half of the draw as the defending champion, Pete Sampras, opens against Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, who in two attempts has not managed to get beyond the second round at Wimbledon. Thereafter Henman heads towards a possible fourth-round clash against Australia's Pat Rafter, the number six seed.

Stella Artois winner Scott Draper, from Australia, will meet German Rainer Schuttler, while third seed Petr Korda, of the Czech Republic, plays Spain's Javier Sanchez.

Last year's beaten finalist, Cedric Pioline, has a tough opener against former Olympic champion Marc Rosset, and second seed Marcelo Rios will feel right at home against another clay-court specialist, Francisco Clavet, of Spain.

Crowd favourite Andre Agassi, seeded 13th, takes on Spaniard Alex Calatrava, and the man he defeated to win the 1992 title, Goran Ivanisevic, plays South Africa's Grant Stafford.

Martina Hingis, the defending women's champion, has a tricky tie against Lisa Raymond of the US, and Anna Kournikova and the Williams sisters must battle for one place between them through to the quarter-finals.

French Open runner-up Monica Seles has a relatively easy opening match against Maria-Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo, of Spain, as she attempts to win her first Wimbledon title, the only Grand Slam crown to elude her.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Steffi Graf, seeded fourth despite being ranked only 91 in the world, continues her comeback against Gala Leon Garcia, of Spain.