Let’s be perfectly honest: 2007 has been an absolute shocker for Tim Henman on the tennis front. For a man who has always been a consistent performer, three wins and 11 losses is a disappointing way to end a fine career.

Injury, form and age seem to be simultaneously ganging up on Henman, and he appears destined to drop out of the top 100 for the first time in almost 12 years. As in so many cases, it is a shame that many of the British public may only come to truly appreciate Tim once his playing days are actually behind him.

Like most players, Henman was encouraged to swing a racket about from a young age. His grandmother, Ellen Stowell Brown, was the first woman to serve underarm at Wimbledon – evidently the game is in his blood. Turning pro in 1993, Tim served and volleyed his way up the rankings, particularly impressing on grass. Winning a silver medal at Atlanta in 1996, he soon established himself on the tour, where he has become known for his professionalism, discipline and above all, his fantastic touch around the net.

'He did win a Masters Series title in Paris, beating Pavel, Davydenko, Grosjean, Kuerten, Federer and Roddick in the process, but it just isn’t Wimbledon, apparently'


Henman is not in the same league as the likes of Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, etc. However, people should not turn their noses up at his achievements. Reaching six Grand Slam semi-finals, winning 11 career titles and obtaining a world ranking of No.4 makes Henman the best British player of the open era and the second best of all time behind Fred Perry. When his achievements are put into perspective, it is difficult to understand the level of cynicism that is often directed his way.

When asked to comment on Henman, most Brits will come out with a comment along the lines of, ‘'He never won Wimbledon, he’s a loser, a failure’' and this is from where the problem stems. Most of the British public know very little about tennis. Yes, they go crazy when Wimbledon comes along, but the craziness is more to do with the romanticism associated with the event, than with the actual tennis.

Strawberries and cream, the all-white dress code, the perfectly cut lawns; it is these typically English quirks that attract many of the fans to the event. An event which has become part of a social calendar that includes the likes of Royal Ascot and the Chelsea Flower Show.

How does this relate to Henman not receiving the plaudits he deserves? It relates in the sense that for many of the British public, Wimbledon IS tennis. Some may even follow the results at the other Grand Slams, but then the interest appears to waiver. So if Henman doesn’t win Wimbledon, he is not a winner in the hearts of his fellow Brits. He did win a Masters Series title in Paris, beating Andrei Pavel, Nikolai Davydenko, Sebastien Grosjean, Gustavo Kuerten, Federer and Andy Roddick in the process, but it just isn’t Wimbledon, apparently.

I readily acknowledge that Grand Slams are generally the measure of a player’s success, but they should not be the be-all and end-all. Marcelo Rios, for example, never won a Slam but was undoubtedly a fantastic player. There is nothing wrong with enjoying Wimbledon if you’re not an expert on the sport, but it must be grating for Henman to hear the negative comments from people who think the ATP calendar only consists of four tournaments.

Henman has also had a tough time from the media; his nickname ‘Tiger Tim’ has become something of a cruel joke amongst many journalists, who often use it in conjunction with remarks about his passive or subdued on-court demeanour. Ironically, Andy Murray is forever being lambasted for his fiery antics and his ‘foul mouth’ and Greg Rusedski for just, well….. being Canadian.

It seems unfair that the likes of cricket's Andrew ‘Freddy’ Flintoff manage to stay relatively dear to most English hearts despite constantly under-achieving, consistently being out of shape and taking part in the most incredulous and unprofessional escapades that even a tabloid journalist would struggle to make up. Ian Botham he is not.

Indeed, Henman doesn’t need to shy away from his public-school background or start drinking like a fish to receive praise from the public. People already recall his epic tussles with Sampras and Goran Ivanisevic with a great fondness and he has brought a whole new generation of fans to the game. One can only hope that Murray will succeed where Henman failed, both on the court and off it.