Maria Sharapova [Images] starts the defence of her Wimbledon [Images] title on Tuesday together with three of her biggest rivals, the Williams sisters Serena and Venus and Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne.

Second seed Sharapova faces Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives in the day's first game on Centre Court and is determined to enjoy the experience.

"It's going to be a lot harder to defend than winning," the glamorous 18-year-old Russian admitted.

"Obviously there are going to be more expectations...but I'm going to go out and enjoy myself, not worry about anything else that's going on, just have fun and just take it all in."

Serena, champion in 2002 and 2003 and last year's losing finalist, and Venus, the 2000 and 2001 champion, both play their first round matches on court two.

Fourth seed Serena faces US compatriot Angela Haynes while older sister Venus, the 14th seed, plays Czech Eva Birnerova.

French Open champion Henin-Hardenne, the seventh seed, takes on Greece's Eleni Daniilidou on Court One.

In the men's first round US second seed Andy Roddick [Images] unleashes his rocket serve on another Czech, Jiri Vanek, in the first match on Court One.

French Open champion Rafael Nadal [Images] of Spain, seeded four, plays Vince Spadea of the US in a Centre Court match that will provide a useful indicator of whether the teenager can translate his incredible form on clay to the faster grass.

Four-times losing semi-finalist Tim Henman of Britain opens his campaign against Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, also on Centre Court, while teenage compatriot Andrew Murray plays Switzerland's [Images] George Bastl on court two.

Another teenager, France's [Images] Richard Gasquet who won the Nottingham Open warmup event on Saturday, faces Philipp Kohlschreiber.

His compatriot Sebastien Grosjean, a semi-finalist in 2003 and 2004 and seeded nine this year, plays Michael Llodra in an all-French clash.

Photograph: Reuters

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