Sampras, six times winner of the Wimbledon title retained his top ranking in front of Andre Agassi whom he beat in the 1999 final, in the seedings announced on Monday.
Although Sampras has missed several tournaments over the last year through injury, his track record on grass has swung the Wimbledon seeding in his favour.
Agassi, the number two seed, currently tops the ATP Tour rankings ahead of Sweden's Magnus Norman and Sampras.
In the ATP Champions' race standings Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten is in first position ahead of Norman and Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, who upset Sampras at Queen's Club on Sunday.
Hewitt, who as an unseeded player lost in straight sets to Boris Becker in the third round at last year's Wimbledon, is seeded seventh at this year's championships.
After losing the Queen's final in London 6-4 6-4 Sampras said Hewitt would definitely be a threat at Wimbledon. ``He pretty much outplayed me,'' said the American.
``He's probably the best mover we've got in the game today and his serve has improved.''
The Swede Norman is seeded three at Wimbledon with Kuerten fourth, the same as his ATP Tour ranking. Kuerten beat Norman in four sets in the final of the French Open earlier this month.
Britain's Tim Henman is seeded eighth with his pedigree on grass taking him up the rankings from his position of 14th on the ATP Tour list and Champions' race standings.
Henman's compatriot Greg Rusedski, who was worried that he might not be seeded at all, earned 14th place.
The seeding committee also allowed in towering Dutchman Richard Krajicek at 11 despite his falling out of the ATP Tour and Champions' race standings. The 1996 Wimbledon champion and grasscourt specialist was runner up at last week's Halle tournament and was the number five seed last year.
Last year's number two seed at Wimbledon Pat Rafter has slipped to number 12 after missing almost half a year with a damaged shoulder.
There was little surprise in the women's seedings with Switzerland's Hingis again the number one followed by Lindsay Davenport -- the same order as their WTA Tour rankings and their seeding at the French Open.
Davenport, the current Wimbledon champion, has moved up a place from the 1999 seedings following the retirement of Steffi Graf who was the number two seed last year.
Davenport crashed out of this month's French Open in the first round and returned to the United States for treatment on the back injury which hampered her performance.
Mary Pierce, the French Open champion, is third followed by 1994 champion Conchita Martinez, whom she beat in the final at Roland Garros. Venus Williams is fifth and Monica Seles, who has won every Grand Slam tournament except Wimbledon, sixth in line with the WTA rankings.
Venus Williams's sister Serena is seeded eight at Wimbledon after Nathalie Tauziat of France.