World number three Andy Murray gets the chance to show the noisy Wimbledon faithful just how far he has come in the past 12 months when he opens his campaign against American Robert Kendrick on Tuesday.

Last year the Briton used a miraculous fourth-round comeback victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet as the catalyst for a brilliant spell in which he has risen to a career-high ranking.

Now he is the second highest seeded player left in the draw after Rafael Nadal pulled out through injury, seemingly opening up Murray's chances to become the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the hallowed grasscourt tournament.

Venus Williams, women's champion last year and chasing a sixth Wimbledon title, opens up proceedings on Centre Court against Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele.

Sixth-seeded big-serving American Andy Roddick, hoping to prove his fitness after rolling an ankle that forced him out of his Queen's Club tournament semi-final against James Blake 10 days ago, follows against Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.

On Court One, fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, who has filled the place at the top of the draw left vacant by Nadal's withdrawal, will start the day by facing 2008 quarter-finalist Arnaud Clement of France.

Women's top seed Dinara Safina, still without a grand slam victory from three finals, follows the lanky Argentine in a match-up with Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino.

Russia's French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova will consider herself unfortunate to be on Court Two to play Japan's Akiko Morigami, though the world number five is brimming with confidence after winning her second grand slam.

"I knew before I could beat anybody and especially after the French (because) I hadn't won a slam in five years, so it's great for me," she told Reuters TV.

(Editing by Ken Ferris)