Rafael Nadal's talent and looks could bring screaming teenagers back to Wimbledon, recalling the glory days when Bjorn Borg made hearts flutter.
The Spaniard is the spearhead of a new wave of teenage players, along with Frenchman Richard Gasquet and Scot Andrew Murray, making the headlines at the All England Club this week.
The 19-year-old, who cruised through his first round match encounter on Centre Court surrounded by more middle-aged British matrons than teenyboppers, certainly has the rock star charisma to stir young hearts.
Like Borg, he boasts a bandana to tame his flying locks.
Nadal could also emulate the great Swede by winning the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back after his triumph at Roland Garros earlier this month.
Borg was the last to achieve the feat in 1980.
Nadal also revels in flamboyant outfits, pirate pantaloons topped by sleeveless cut-away shirts to show off his bulging muscles.
"There's something about him that draws people to him," former British number one John Lloyd said.
"This will particularly be the case with young fans who will treat him like a rock star. That's why I think the screaming will be back."
"He reminds me of Borg. He does not say much on or off the court. But there is an aura about him. He has the look."
Many expect Nadal and 19-year-old Gasquet to be fighting for Grand Slams for the next decade or so and their potential meeting in the third round this week is causing much excitement.
Murray is an unlikely heart-throb as well as the least accomplished player of the three teenagers but at Wimbledon he has the advantage of being the local hope.
After his first-round victory on Tuesday, he had the teenage autograph hunters clamouring round him after he marked his Grand Slam debut with a straight sets win.
"I quite fancy him, he is so buff," said Gemma Couling, 15, after managing to grab an autograph in the post-match scramble. "Andrew is much fitter than Nadal ... and he is British."
BORG MOBBED
But the new generation of teen idols would have a long way to go to match Borgmania.
When he first appeared at Wimbledon as a teenager in 1973, Borg was mobbed by fans everywhere. Teenagers even leapt onto Centre Court begging for autographs.
Wimbledon organisers became so concerned that they wrote to the heads of local schools and asked them to keep their students under tighter control.
Britain's 1977 Wimbledon champion Virginia Wade recalled.
"There was nothing to match the reaction to Borg -- all that screaming and hysteria," he said. "He was an Adonis. But I must say that Nadal is very cute and very nice."
Murray is phlegmatic about the media hype surrounding his arrival on the international scene at the age of 18.
"It's a little bit over the top because I still really haven't done anything," he said. "Everybody's making it out as if I've pretty much won Wimbledon."
