LONDON, July 6: (■oran Ivanisevic is ready to make it third time lucky at W imbledon this year — and Ills Friday semifinal against defending

champion Pete Sampras holds no fears lor tlx- fourth seeded Croatian, reports AI P.

I don t think fa can play as good as last year." said the big-serving Ivanisevic after overpowering Russian number one Y evgeny Katehiikov in straight-sets in a Centre Court slxxit-uut on Wednesday.

h anisivk. who kist to Sampras in last y ear s final and to Aixlrc Agassi in l fa- 1992 finals, is convinced fa can avenge h defeats and lift the most coveted trophy in the game on Sunday.

For it he can put out Sampras. » ho kiokid tar falow his best against plucky Japanese Shuzo Matsuoka, tfa kit haixk-d Ivanisevic would face citfa-r work! number-one Agassi or three tinx-s cliampion Boris Becker and Agassi holds a commanding 8-3 advantage in the head to-faads with tlx- «nixuc

Plat ing Pete in tfa semifinals is

better than play ing him in the final. It's kss pressure ft>r ox and I think I can play fatter than last year." said Ivanisevic.

He lias made it clear he doesn't

care how boring people flixl his big serve-and-volley tennis - just so tot^ as fa wins

"I'm not here to entertain. I'm Ixre to wire ” fa says

The 23-year-old Croatian, who was out of tennis with a knee injury for two nxinths earlier this year, 1* play ing tfa 27th Grand Slam event of his career.

He undoubtedly breathed a huge sigh of relief with his string of victories over tfa past 11 days.

Sampras has not shone as brightly tliis year as fa did when fa won a yer ago. wfareas Ivanisevic has been devastating partk ulariy with his big serve w hkh has pmdixcd 13’ aces.

That is 19 more than at tfa same stage last year with softer balls in-tcixled sk»w tlx- men's game down after the disenchantment with last years bigserving final

sampras feels he needs to serve fa tier than he did in disposing of Japanese upstart Shuzo Matsuoka fr 7.6-3.6-i. 6-2 on Wednesday .

'My serve tiirough tfa last week and a half liasn't been tliat great and tliat s my fast shot I need to get into a good groove, lx- said.