Martin Lee emerged from the biggest match of his career with honour, if not the honours.

'Pistol' Pete Sampras showed there is plenty of life left in the old Wimbledon gunslinger in their first round showdown on centre court.

The seven-times champion shot down Lee's bid to make a real name for himself with a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 victory.

It took 2 hours 15 minutes for Sampras to see off the Worthing ace, which emphasises the match was in fact a good deal closer than straight sets suggests.

The crucial difference was that element dividing the great from the good.

Time after time Sampras produced his best when it really mattered.

Lee forced no fewer than 19 break points yet managed to convert only one.

It wasn't that he played those key points badly, just that Sampras played almost all of them superbly.

On this evidence the American legend is not quite the spent force some would have us believe following his fourth round defeat last year by Roger Federer.

He has not won a tournament since the last of his Wimbledon triumphs in 2000 and there have been doubts about his fitness after he strained a rib before an exhibition match last Saturday.

Those doubts were dispelled as Sampras scampered at speed to reach a plethora of dinks and angled drop shots from Lee.

The British No. 3 performed with much more fluency than in the second round on centre court against Tim Henman last year, when he was consumed by anxiety and won just nine games.

The pattern of Lee creating chances, only for Sampras to slam the door shut, was established right from the outset.

Lee led 40-0 in the opening game and had a further five break points in the American's next service game after Sampras had gleaned a 2-0 advantage with a superlative forehand return.

That single break was enough to settle the set, but Lee refused to be overawed.

He volleyed well and returned to great effect against the Sampras serve which, although inconsistent, reached the blistering speed of 129 mph.

Having rescued four break points to retain parity, Lee then had two set points to level the match in the second set.

Sampras saved the first with commendable dexterity, adjusting swiftly to a net cord to ease the ball back over with the deftest of touches.

He ran away with the tie break 7-1 and there was a sense of inevitably about the outcome once Sampras went 2-0 up in the third set.

Millwall fanatic Lee, appropriately lion-like in the face of such adversity, would not lie down.

Encouraged by the cheers of a centre court crowd which included Leeds manager David O'Leary, Lee's 13th break point proved lucky as he speared a return at the feet of Sampras.

It inspired the faint hope that Lee could be embarking on the type of comeback produced by fellow Brit Barry Cowan in the first round against Sampras last year.

Cowan recovered from two sets down to take Sampras to a fifth, but the sixth seed ensured there would be no repeat by making the decisive break for 4-2 with a wonderful forehand pass on the run.

The end was greeted by a standing ovation for both players from an appreciative audience.

Lee said: "It was strange, because when I went on court this year I felt really good. Last year I was very nervous and didn't get into the match.

"I started well this time but was three love down when I could easily have been three love up.

"You can see why he has won seven Wimbledons. I thought he played well.

"Normally in the first two rounds when I have seen him he hasn't played as well as that. He had to because I played well.

"If I can play relaxed like that I am going to win a lot more matches."

The match was originally due to open proceedings on centre court in the absence of sidelined reigning champion Goran Ivanisevic, but Wimbledon chiefs gave Sampras some leeway.

"The injury is fine and it didn't affect my game," he said. "I asked to play on Tuesday, but I figured it was a long shot and I understand that.

"It probably helped a little bit not having to play quite so early.

"There were times when I felt like my serving was unhittable, but I couldn't maintain it for too long. There were spurts when I was playing at a pretty high level and spurts when I was careless.

"As the tournament goes on you just have to play at a high level a little more consistently."

Only a fool would bet against Sampras doing precisely that and becoming the first eight-times champion.