Views on Tim Henman

[MHK]

As I am a UK resident, I only really get the viewpoint of the UK media on Tim Henman - which can be very extreme, both for him and against him.

As a fan of his since at least 1994 I would be interested to hear the opinions on Tim from those messgae board users outside the UK.

Cheers!

 

[david aames]

Next best thing after Taylor Dent

 

[cantaloupe]

ouch!!!! :lol:

 

[James Brown]

i love tim. purest volleys i've ever seen. i also like how he keeps fighting and trying to win wimbledon and other tournies when most have written him off. i think hes a nice guy and a class act, exactly like the british should be (considering wimbledon's history and status :>)

I cringed when I saw him play fed at indian wells though, yikes...guess tim ran out of gas.

 

[tetsuo10]

You really have to give Henman credit for lasting this long at such a high level. I think most didn't think he would be able to last so long or play at such a high level with that physique of his.

 

[tennis_dude]

He will win Wimbledon this year, finally.

 

[borisboris]

:lol: Tim Clijsters - Tim Novotna - Gentleman Tim because he's so gracious at losing. He has a great game - probably the best single's volleyer on tour - amazing semi @ Indian Wells.

 

[python]

Tim Henman is a fine player. Unfortunately, he will always be measured by his failure (so far) to win the big prize. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Henman usually beats the people that he is supposed to, but how many wins against a higher ranked player do you remember him having? I don't recall a high number, although that Rotterdam victory this year is nice. I don't think you can count his sterling record against Federer as evidence because for most of those matches, Tim was ranked higher than Roger.

If Henman was from a country like Thailand or Japan, he'd be bigger than the king or emperor. Since he's from England, he'll go down as the solid chap who just couldn't get over the hump when it mattered. Unfair but that's life. Henman has a lot to be proud of; the London press should get off his back.

 

[Free_Martha]

Tim Henman probably would've won Wimbledon already if the vultures in the British press didn't do such a good job hyping him up and then tearing him to pieces.

Tim is a great volleyer; has a very nice game to watch. Seems like a decent guy. Unfortunately, he is carrying the weight of his entire country on his slight shoulders and only the strongest animals can handle such enormous pressure.

 

[@wright]

I used to not really admire Tim, but I am really starting to respect his game, and I'd love to see him break the wall down finally like Goran.

 

[Craig Sheppard]

I'm a big fan of Tim. I really love his game, especially how well he moves around the court--the volleys he gets to, sometimes by lunging or half-volleys that are really amazing. I just like his style, as well as his demeanor on court.

What I really enjoy is that he never lets himself overshadow his tennis. That might sound strange, but I find I always watch his game, rather than just him. Some players are too effusive and emotive on court; it's such a distraction that it overshadows their game. With Tim, his game is what describes him to me, not his antics.

I guess you can tell, he's my favorite player to watch, and who I'm always rooting for to win. I just wish they showed more of him on TV instead of beating us over the head with constant US player telecasts (you know who).

-Craig.

 

[Vanja Ljubibratic]

I really like to watch Henman play now more than ever. Before, I thought that Rafter and Krajicek were more entertaining serve and volley players, but now that it's just Henman, I really enjoy watching those kinds of points because they have become so rare these days.
I think that he's one of those players like Hewitt or Chang who have totally maximized their abilities as players. Henman works very hard, and he deserved to get to all those WImbledon SF's. But then again, you can say that he also deserved to lose all those SF's because he didn't really have what it took to get past that round, (except with his match against Goran, where Goran was lucky with the rain delay). I hope Henman will win Wimbledon one day, but I'd really doubt it at this point.
He definitely proved against Roddick that he can still play very, very good tennis, but how much of that performance could he consistently pull off? I mean, after losing to Federer in the finals of Indian Wells, (understandably), he goes out first round to a no name in Miami. He's going to have to play better than he humanly can if he wants to win Wimbledon. For some reason, I think he'll have a very good seeding this year even if he totally screws up until the grass court season which lasts all of three weeks.

 

[WW Volley]

Henman is such a class act with some of the most incredible volleying one can find.

He is by far the best volleyer on the tour now. Hitting the volleys he does with the way power baseliners hit now is absolutely amazing.

For the first time since he's been playing, I'm picking Tim Henman to win Wimbledon.

 

[edge]

It would be good for the game if Tim wins Wimbledon this year.

 

[Matt Riordan]

Tim's had probably his best start to any year - very unlucky to lose to Canas at the AO - a match I attended - and it was obvious that Annacone's got him playing much more positive, aggressive tennis. He's now the best volleyer on tour and it's great to watch his net rushing style. When Federer is an all-courter happier to stay back Henman is an all-courter looking to move forwards. I think he has his best shot at Wimbledon this year - definitely better than the last two or three years. Not just from a British point of view, but I'd be happy if the ll England club would revert to using slick grass courts - the US has geared the surface to suit Sampras, the AO to suit Hewitt - it's a shame - for tennis - that at Wimbledon they've made the courts hard and high bouncing almost like US hard courts. Tim has beaten everyone but Sampras and Hewitt at Wimbledon - he has wins over Krajicek (then defending champ), Courier, Rafter, Federer and Kafelnikov (his breakthrough match) - very unlucky against Goran in the semi which he lost due to the rain - if he can pull it together this year and just avoid Hewitt I think he's got a great shot. A Henman/Federer final would be perfect, with either one of them caning Roddick in the semis...

Matt

 

[Anonymous]

time henman is my favorite player and i live in the US. He is a gentleman, rarely gets so frustrated that he throws his racquet/hits a ball out of the court. i enjoy watching him play because i serve n volley as well. i even use a henman probraided with lux ti-mo at 60lbs. (not sure if tensions the same but it works for me)
i dont know how long his game will last with these big baseline bashers hitting it so well these days, but i hope for the best. i think he can take wimbledon this year because he looks like hes doin better after his surgery.
i think in england he should be a king and have his own castle =)

bobster

 

[William Bedford]

Whilst working at Wimbledon last year I had many opportunities to stand courtside and watch Tim on the practise courts. he has amazing touch and is a great mover (Only Corria is quicker). His record at Wimbledon is great and he has a chance to go all the way again this year. The key for him is to go for that first and second serve which is easier said than done. Tim is a class act and a credit to his country. Ive already got my £50 on him for this year.

Also......
I agree that he was unlucky against Goran in the 2001 Semi, but lets not forget that Todd Martin had Henman down 2 sets to 1 in the 2001 quarterfinal. Todd was spanking him when Tim complained about the darkness. Play stopped on Centre Court 33 minutes before play was stopped on court 1 (Tims British Influence). Tim couldnt get off the court quick enough. The next day, Martin had a wrapped knee, and tendonitis in his wrist and Tim won the last two sets.

 

[jmckinney]

I feel that Henman is playing great tennis to start the year. He was very unlucky losing that match to Goran at Wimbledon. But Goran deserved the Wimbledon victory just as Henman is deserving of winning it. I think he will win it one of these days, hopefully this year over Hewitt in the final. Just one of these days all of England will be able to rejoice. Annacone will get him over the hump.

 

[larrhall]

I admire Tim. I respect the way he handles himself. On the court, he seems to understand his own game and the geometry of the court, to use a Carillo-ism. His volleys and half-volleys are superb, and he sets up his net game with serve placement well. How he handles the pressure of the hounding British press during the Wimbledon weeks (and months?) is amazing. Never mind slight shoulders - most players with that sort of country-specific pressure based around a single event wouldn't do as well as he has. And he has a nice sense of humor and expresses himself well.

 

[boris becker 1]

slightly biased as well. But hes a total class act as a person. If you would have seen him as a 16 year old youd say he has overachieved for his career. The guy has been number 4 in the world and rwached 4 wimbledon semi finals.

 

[edge]

Henman is a class act. He conducted a seminar at a local junior tournament club a fews years back. He took his time, hit with all the kids and was very gracious signing auto's for the kids and answering questions about his life.

 

[spam]

He really was the least likely out of the squad that David Lloyd put together-just shows what determination can do.I feel Tim is really a best of three sets player because his game requires so much concentration-he can't go on cruise control like a Sampras or Federer as his serve is still hit and miss.Love to see him wim Wimbledon,contrary to what Phil says,some players do deserve it!Britain should be proud of him for what he has achieved.

 

[juu]

I think he's great and I really wish for him to win Wimbledon.

 

[ucd_ace]

I enjoy watching Henman play. He's the only player I've seen play such a fluid serve and volley game (considering I started paying attention literally right after Rafter retired). Dent, Philippoussis, and other serve and volleyers are really just powerful servers. Dent has done a lot to improve his game but he still has that overwhelming feeling that he's forcing it to attack. I would love to see Henman win Wimbeldon to get the British tennis fans off of his back. I think it would give him a greater sense of confidence and that his game would go up a level afterwards. Plus, he's on Tennis 2k2 on the dreamcast... it doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Hyperstate]

Beautiful attacking style and volleying from the Englishman. Think he has beaten Sampras at Eastbourne. And yes, the British press should be torched for giving him so much grief over the years. Go Tim!

 

[Feña14]

I don't know if I qualify because I to am an English man, his volleys are excellent and Tim is my second favourite player after me main man Ferrero .

I'm going to the semi-finals of Wimbledon and would love to be there watching Henman whoop Hewitt.

I have £30 on him for wimbledon.
I also had £20 on phil for The Masters so I hope my luck continues

Liam

 

[Reb Tevye]

Tim Henman

I always support Tim, especially at Wimbledon. I feel that Vanja's view was very hypocritical though. He says that Tim deserved the Semi-Finals, when last summer he speculated that he would not make it out of the third round.

 

[007]

Maybe the best all-round athleticism of any ATP pro (not talking fitness here). His groundstrokes and serve have improved dramatically since Annacone hooked up with him and his game is exciting to watch. His win over Roddick @ I.Wells was a fantastic dsiplay of all-court tennis: he mixed up his S & V with big groundies at the right times....something he rarely used to do because of inconsistency off the ground.

 

[Brettolius]

Tennis 2k2 for Dreamcast is the jam! Moya ,Rafter, Haas,Enquvist,and your boy Henman,and they all look like the same player! Very fun game to play with the fella's and some cold one's though.