He had been on court for more than any of the other semi-finalists, over 12 hours, largely because of his back-to-back five setters in the first two rounds.There is money to buy fancy food now and money to buy new kit. The Belarussian has actually refused a clothing contract already and wore the same gear yesterday he had borrowed from Marat Safin and used in the previous round. "I washed it, of course," he said.Wimbledon is a quaint English custom which seems to agree with Vlad and he has benefited from another this week. On the back of his deeds, one tabloid had donated £5,000 to the fighting fund in return for shirt space and guaranteed "access".The 4.39 start yesterday was no great public occasion. No matter that Sampras was a participant, ticket holders seemed to view the second semi-finalists as roadsweepers after the Lord Mayor's show. The place was half empty.It was a shoddy way to receive a great champion and a man enjoying the greatest day of his young sporting life.

There were 10 vacant together in various places and just three occupants between mounds of discarded blankets in the Royal box. But then this show was the antithesis of The Moustrap, a production in which everyone knew the ending. The attendance was pathetic all the same.Voltchkov won the toss and chose to receive and was soon throwing himself around. He looked strong and a good athlete, but also boyish, with the ruffled hair of a lad back from a tadpole expedition.Sampras had probably never heard of Voltchkov before this tournament. He may not have known about Minsk or even Belarus for that matter. The American was almost certainly more concerned about his health and the injury to his left shin. The trainer was called on at one point, but Sampras did not look like a clipped bird, and you could not back against him in these surroundings even if he came on in a Bath chair with a tartan rug over his knees.

"You know, as long as I have my right arm on grass I'm still a threat," he said "We're playing on grass - quick points. It would be tough to play out there on clay or even hard court Part of being an athlete is playing through situations. I've done a good job getting through."You look at Wimbledon and you look at how important it is to me, to my career and you just have to play through I've kind of accpeted that All Slams are tough. This has been a little different."Voltchkov was not overawed and Sampras slow to warm up, so it was a semblance of a game for some time. The champion flicked sweat from his eyebrow, but this was more mannerism than anything else.