Tim Henman Falters at First Hurdle, Recovers at Wimbledon

Posted on June 23, 2004

"Our Tim," "Brave Tim," "Gentleman Tim," or if you're outside Britain, "That chalky Brit" Tim Henman found himself points away from an 0-2 set deficit against unheralded Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo before rallying for a 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-2 win in his opening match Tuesday at Wimbledon.

"I definitely got a little bit frustrated at times on the court," Henman said. "There were some positives aspects and there were a few aspects that I was struggling with...I didn't play my best today."

Henman framed his slow start in a historical perspective.

"You look at some of my past Wimbledons, the first round has not always been the easiest or the most straightforward," Henman said. "But in this tournament you only get one chance, don't you? You've got to find a way to win...I was able to do that. That's a big positive."

A big negative on the other hand was the lackluster effort put forth by former No. 1 Marat Safin of Russia, who fought neither bravely nor gentlemanly, nor did anyone claim him as "Our Marat" in a four-set loss to up-and-coming countryman Dmitry Tursunov.

"I give up on Wimbledon," said the No. 19-seeded Safin, who resumed his tanking ways in the face of a hard-hitting opponent and his difficulties on the lawns. "Is definitely not the tournament for me...I hate. I hate this. I have to admit it. It's like a nightmare for me. So after a while, I just get bored. I lost completely motivation, and I give up...I think it's the last (Wimbledon)."

Other seeded winners among the matches completed, on the second straight day cut short by rain, were (9)Carlos Moya (d. Olivier "All We Need is Just a Little" Patience 6-1 in the fifth), (11)Mark Philippoussis (d. C.Rochus for his first tournament match-win since January), (14)Mardy Fish (d. Navarro Pastor), (18)Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez (d. (WC)Bloomfield), and (32)Hicham Arazi (d. Sa).

Seeds joining Safin on the sidelines Tuesday were (16)Jiri Novak (l. to Malisse), (23)Max "The Beast Who's Allergic to Grass" Mirnyi (l. to Gambill), and (28)Ivan Ljubicic (l. to W.Ferreira in four).

Other un-seeds into the second round were Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze (d. Vliegen in four), Germany's Florian Mayer (d. Arthurs in three breakers), Spain's Al Montanes (d. Ulihrach), Yen-Hsun Lu (d. Vacek in four), Frenchman Cyril Saulnier (d. countryman Llodra in four), Armenian Sargis Sargsian (d. M.Lopez in four), cannon-serving Swede Joachim Johansson (d. Clement), Slovak Karol Kucera (d. O.Hernandez), Austria's Alexander Peya (d. Salzenstein), Dutchman Martin "Berzerk" Verkerk (d. Davydenko in four), and Swiss Ivo Heuberger (d. Flavio "Of the Day" Saretta in four).

Matches halted in progress due to the rain, to be completed Wednesday are (2)Andy Roddick leading Yeu-Tzuoo Wang 4-2, (3)Guillermo Coria leading Wesley Moodie 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-7 (3), 5-3, Robin Soderling leading (8)Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 3-6, 1-0, Alexander "My Serve Has" Popp leading (15)Nicolas Massu 6-2, 4-4, (20)Tommy Robredo leading "You Say" Potito Starace 6-4, 6-4, 3-3, (26)Taylor Dent leading Ramon Delgado 6-2, 6-3, 5-4, (30)Vince Spadea tied with Todd Reid 1-1, Antony Dupuis leading Tommy Haas 6-2, 6-2, 6-7(8), 2-3, Dennis Van Scheppingen leading Stefano Pescosolido 6-4, 6-4, 2-3, Brit Mark Hilton leading Albert Costa 5-1, Brit Jonathan Marray leading Karol Beck 4-6, 7-6(3), 2-1, "Julio &" Galo Blanco leading Thomas Enqvist 6-4, 2-3, and David Ferrer leading Victor Hanescu 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-6.

Wednesday on the men's schedule reads as (2)Roddick vs. Wang (to finish), Labadze vs. (7)Hewitt, (3)Coria vs. Moodie (to finish), Rusedski vs. Sanguinetti, (1)Federer vs. Falla, (WC)Childs vs. (12)Schalken, Ivanisevic vs. Volandri, (WC)Hilton vs. A.Costa (to finish), Koubek vs. (6)Ferrero, (20)Robredo vs. Starace (to finish), (21)Chela vs. Burgsmuller, (9)Moya vs. Stepanek, (WC)Marray vs. Beck (to finish), (26)Dent vs. R.Delgado (to finish), Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic vs. (33)Luis "Me So" Horna, J.Johansson vs. (14)Fish, Reid vs. (30)Spadea (to finish), (10)Grosjean vs. Carraz in an all-French, Ferrer vs. Hanescu (to finish), Benneteau vs. Berdych, (18)F.Lopez vs. Saulnier, (25)Hrbaty vs. D.Sanchez, (27)Ginepri vs. Verdasco, Popp vs. (15)Massu (to finish), (24)Gonzalez vs. Vassallo Arguello, Soderling vs. (8)Schuettler (to finish), Santoro vs. T.Johansson, T.Martin vs. Canas, (17)Bjorkman vs. Lu, Van scheppingen vs. Pescosolido (to finish), Andreev vs. Van Lottum, Sargsian vs. Tursunov, A.Ram vs. (22)Pavel, Bracciali vs. Gambill, Carlsen vs. Gasquet, Elseneer vs. Karlovic, Dupuis vs. Haas (to finish), Mantilla vs. Pless, and Blanco vs. Enqvist (to finish).