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WIMBLEDON - Mark Philippoussis is glad that Andre Agassi, rather than Lleyton Hewitt, will be trying to return his big serve at the Wimbledon tennis championships today.

The 6-foot-4 Australian faces No. 2 Agassi in one of 16 fourth-round matches. Though top seed Hewitt lost in the first round, Philippoussis said Hewitt, not Agassi, is the man whom servers fear most.

"Lleyton may have taken over Agassi's crown as the best returner in the world," Philippoussis said Saturday. "Obviously, Agassi is still up there though, so it will be tough for me. I'll need a high percentage of first serves."

Philippoussis is unseeded this year after persistent knee injuries caused him to fall from No. 8 to No. 48 in the world throughout the past three years.

Agassi, the 1992 champion, has handled the Australian's serve well in previous matches, winning six of seven, including a 2000 Wimbledon quarterfinal.

The women's top-ranked player, Serena Williams, opens today's schedule on Centre Court against No. 15 Elena Dementieva. Though they have never faced each other, Williams said she knows Dementieva's game.

"She has a great return," Williams said, following her 10th straight Wimbledon win Saturday. "I'm going to have to make sure I'm serving well."

No. 5 Andy Roddick plays Paradorn Srichaphan in the second Centre Court match, followed by four-time semifinalist Tim Henman against last year's runner-up, David Nalbandian, who has won both previous matches against the Briton.

"At this stage, I couldn't be happier with the way I'm playing," said the 10th-seeded Henman, who has dropped just one set so far. "It bodes well."