Tim Henman vs Phillip King

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Tim Henman vs Phillip King

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

Montana Doug wrote:

Where did that come from....almost like he was toying with him all afternoon for match practice and then at the end put the sword to him.

Come on Tim.....what a nice unexpected roller coaster this has been.....lol....no more twists...

I hope so...

15-0...

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

Montana Doug wrote:

Come on Tim.....what a nice unexpected roller coaster this has been.....lol....no more twists...

Lol. Wouldn`t it be nice to have a straightforward match... just for once!

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

30-0...

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

Sally wrote:

Montana Doug wrote:

Come on Tim.....what a nice unexpected roller coaster this has been.....lol....no more twists...

Lol. Wouldn`t it be nice to have a straightforward match... just for once!

But then you would miss out on the "tim henman experience"

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

Two match points!

Tim wins unconvicingly 6-7 6-3 7-5

Phew!

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

mkkreuk wrote:

But then you would miss out on the "tim henman experience"

How true. It`s just not Tim if it`s not a rollercoaster.

Thank god he`s just won! I have no nerves left.

Michael · Pro player

Surely it's a Brit rollercoaster, they all put us through it. Andy is learning quickly from Tim.

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

Michael wrote:

Surely it's a Brit rollercoaster, they all put us through it. Andy is learning quickly from Tim.

If he does that tomorrow I`ll have no fingernails left.

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

Sally wrote:

mkkreuk wrote:

But then you would miss out on the "tim henman experience"

How true. It`s just not Tim if it`s not a rollercoaster.
Thank god he`s just won! I have no nerves left.

I would have been virtually bankrupt! LOL.

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

Who`s he got next?

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

Found it - Gambill or Tipsarevic.

Sheddie · administrator

I fell asleep after Tim won the 2nd set, glad to see that he won but phew it looks like a close one. If King had taken one of those bps at the crunch end of the 3rd, I reckon it would have been all over.

The LTA's report:

The British No.2 hit back from a set down to see off the American qualifier Philip King 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-5 in sweltering conditions.

Henman, who won the Washington title back in 2003, was on court for over two-and-a-half hours on a day when temperatures hit 100F at the William FitzGerald Tennis Centre.

Henman next goes up against either Janko Tipsarevic or lucky loser Jan-Michael Gambill for a place in the last eight.

For a while it looked like it might be a disappointing return to the tour for Henman in his first match since his second round defeat to Roger Federer at Wimbledon.

But after losing the opening set tie-break 7-3, he made his move in the sixth game of the second set to break King and soon wrapped up the set to level the match.

King didn’t surrender, though, and forced Henman to save two break points in the eighth game of the decider before the Englishman broke at 5-5 and held to 15 to seal victory.

The 31-year-old is back on court on Wednesday when he partners American Justin Gimelstob in the first round of the men’s doubles against Russian duo Igor Kunitsyn and Dmitry Tursunov.

Sheddie · administrator

I agree with Doug, I've always been puzzled in the past why Tim has taken so long a break after Wimbledon. It's understandable now I suppose as he wants to give his dodgy back a rest but in the past when he was in his prime I've never really understood why he hasn't made his return in Indianapolis or at least Los Angeles. He's always started the hard-court swing at Washington looking a bit rusty and as a result I've often felt he's been a bit undercooked at the US Open as he's only played a couple of warm-up tournaments beforehand.

The newspaper reports on the Henman match will come tomorrow but today's Times has an interesting interview with Tim on his aims to be seeded in the 2007 Aussie Open. Normally he takes a couple of weeks off after the US Open but this year he's playing Bangkok and Tokyo straight after, before the European indoor swing. Tim also gives his thoughts on Brad Gilbert working as part of the LTA setup
Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,5205-2292632,00.html

-- Edited by UltimateFlemingFan at 16:13, 2006-08-02

Sheddie · administrator

Telegraph report on Tim's match:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2006/08/03/sthenm03.xml

Tim says that he's only done fitness training since Wimbledon which accounts for his rustiness. Sounds like King had a blinder though, he only made 8 unforced errors in the entire match ! Tim hit 52 winners and 28 ues.

Sounds like Tim was thinking what we were thinking at the time !!! : "There were a couple times I would think to myself, 'This guy is ranked 300-whatever and he's playing great tennis'.