Why doesn't Henman make Wimbledon his final Slam?

[BreakPoint]

It makes no sense to me that Henman is making the US Open his final Slam. Why doesn't he make Wimbledon, his home Slam, his final tournament? That's what Agassi did last year by ending his career at the US Open, his home Slam, and look at the emotional send off that he got last year on Arthur Ashe stadium after his final match. Pete Sampras did the same, making the US Open, also his home Slam, his final tournament.

I mean Henman will be forever associated with Wimbledon. Not only because he's English and that his serve and volley style was groomed from day one for the grass courts of Wimbledon, and that winning Wimbledon and playing on Centre Court have been the biggest goals in his entire existence, but that he has also done the best at Wimbledon of all the Slams.

Even if his ranking has fallen so much that he would not get direct entry based upon his ranking, I'm sure - now I know I might be going out on a limb here - that the All England Club would grant Henman a wild card at next year's Wimbledon. Imagine the emotional send off he would get from his fellow Brits after his final match on Centre Court.

Come on, courageous Tim, play Wimbledon one more time. Please. :grin:

 

[simi]

Two reasons...his back, and the impending birth of his third child. The next edition of Wimbledon is a long way away.

 

[Rhino]

I think he should at least get to 500 match wins. With todays win he's on 495. Only 2 active players have 500 or more wins, it would be a shame to finish on around 498 after the Davis Cup.

 

[Feña14]

I think he should at least get to 500 match wins. With todays win he's on 495. Only 2 active players have 500 or more wins, it would be a shame to finish on around 498 after the Davis Cup.

He'll make the 500 in this tournament so no worries there.

A Henman v Murray final should do the trick

 

[BreakPoint]

Two reasons...his back, and the impending birth of his third child. The next edition of Wimbledon is a long way away.

Agassi had a bad back problem as well, but he was willing to hang in there just to make the US Open his final tournament and so he can go out in style. Henman could rest up and recuperate and not play much until the grass court season starts up again next June.

BTW, Henman's back sure looked fine today in his match against Tursunov.

 

[BeHappy]

simple

Yanks like retirement ceremonies, Henman will get to make a speech in front of an adoring crowd and respectful press, as opposed to wimbledon where joe public thinks henman os a loser and the press reports would inevitably say something along the lines of ''henman fails at wimbledon again''.

 

[Moose Malloy]

It makes no sense to me that Henman is making the US Open his final Slam. Why doesn't he make Wimbledon, his home Slam, his final tournament? That's what Agassi did last year by ending his career at the US Open, his home Slam, and look at the emotional send off that he got last year on Arthur Ashe stadium after his final match. Pete Sampras did the same, making the US Open, also his home Slam, his final tournament.

The US Open is the last slam of the year, tennis players' seasons are yearly, so its makes sense that retiring players would play their last slam then. If Wimbledon/the French or the Australian was the last slam of the year, you could be darn sure Agassi, Sampras, whoever would have still played it in their final year.

Edberg, Lendl, Borg, Rafter, many others have played their last slam at the US Open, its not just a tournament for Americans. Its all about timing.

and isn't the year end ranking often how players are judged? just stopping in july wouldn't look good in that respect.

 

[BreakPoint]

simple

Yanks like retirement ceremonies, Henman will get to make a speech in front of an adoring crowd and respectful press, as opposed to wimbledon where joe public thinks henman os a loser and the press reports would inevitably say something along the lines of ''henman fails at wimbledon again''.

Yeah, but imagine if after his last match on Centre Court, they rolled out the red carpet, lined up the ballkids and the royal box, and had Sue Barker come out and interview him just like she does after the men's final, something he was never able to experience personally because he never got to a Wimbledon final, falling oh so short in the semis so many times. I think that would make him feel pretty good and be a proper send off as it would make the poor guy feel as if he'd finally won Wimbledon!

 

[skip1969]

nah . . . let him go out now, why drag it out. they shoot horses, don't they?

 

[35ft6]

I agree. It's his life, but it would be cool for him to make Wimbledon the stage for his final bow. Sure, the press has been cruel, but I would bet a lot that they would be nice to him. And reaching 500 wins would be sweet, too. He's arguably currently the best grass courter never to have won Wimbledon. I guess it would be between him and Roddick.

 

[saram]

Tim Henman is sheer and utter class. He does deserve a 'goodbye' from tennis and its fans that only Wimbledon and the Brits could offer him. Here, at the US Open, should he lose, he'll bow out without any recognition and have the plane ride home without receiving the warmth of the fans. (Not like the Brit fans ever gave him any love, though).

You are right, BP. Your thoughts make perfect sense.

 

[BreakPoint]

The US Open is the last slam of the year, tennis players' seasons are yearly, so its makes sense that retiring players would play their last slam then. If Wimbledon/the French or the Australian was the last slam of the year, you could be darn sure Agassi, Sampras, whoever would have still played it in their final year.

Hmmm...I'm not so sure about that. I still think both Sampras and Agassi would have wanted to make the US Open their last tournament.

Edberg, Lendl, Borg, Rafter, many others have played their last slam at the US Open, its not just a tournament for Americans. Its all about timing.

Well, Sweden and Czechoslovakia don't have home slams and Borg didn't really retire after his last US Open. It just turned out that way because the next year, 1982, the ATP forced him to have to qualify for the majors because he hadn't played enough to accrue enough points for direct entry. So understandably, Borg just said forget it and quit.

And Rafter won his only Slams at the US Open so I can understand why he feels an emotional attachment to the US Open.

But back to Henman. Wouldn't it just be appropriate and fitting on an emotional and visceral level for Henman to end his career at Wimbledon?

 

[BreakPoint]

Yeah, but imagine if after his last match on Centre Court, they rolled out the red carpet, lined up the ballkids and the royal box, and had Sue Barker come out and interview him just like she does after the men's final, something he was never able to experience personally because he never got to a Wimbledon final, falling oh so short in the semis so many times. I think that would make him feel pretty good and be a proper send off as it would make the poor guy feel as if he'd finally won Wimbledon!

Actually, now that I think about it, didn't the All England Club do just that for Agassi last year after his last match ever at Wimbeldon (after he lost to Nadal)? If they did that for Agassi, I'm sure they'd do it for Henman. And maybe with even more pomp and circumstance. :grin:

 

[saram]

I would bet Hewitt's last slam is the Aussie Open...

 

[saram]

And I don't mean this year...I mean years down the road...

 

[Dimonator133]

I would bet Hewitt's last slam is the Aussie Open...

I doubt it. He's not really loved there. He needs to win it in order to make it really special for him. Aussie fans loved Rafter way more. Probably love Poussis and even Wayne Arthurs more.

 

[quest01]

I agree that Henman should consider ending his career in England just like Agassi ended his career in the U.S.

 

[J-man]

Two reasons...his back, and the impending birth of his third child. The next edition of Wimbledon is a long way away.

Yes that pretty much sums it up. He's even getting excited about retring and calling "Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel".

 

[Tennis_Monk]

He didnt want to play for the sake of Playing it. I think he decided it is time.
It is more mental than physical. He is sick of answering lot of questions.

Other than a big British Send off, what does he really get by waiting till Wimbledon. In his mind, may be it didnt tempt him that much,

 

[Fedace]

because he may get embarrassed off the court.?

 

[finky]

Well at the risk of stating the obvious he is retiring at Wimbledon.....the Davis Cup tie in September is being played at The All England Club so he gets to play his last pro match on the hallowed turf and go out to a massive ovation.....doubtless the club will organise a ceremony tohonour him.

 

[hoosierbr]

I agree that Henman should have hung on and played clay or just grass next year to stay match tough and make Wimby his last hurrah. Then again there's no guarantee he'd get a good draw or make a run given how slow it's playing these days.

Even though he lost in the second round he produced some vinatge stuff in both matches and went out reminding people how good he still is.

He will be retiring at SW19, just not on Centre Court. Davis Cup!

 

[Tennis Fan]

I'm rather shocked as well that Henman doesn't make Wimbledon, his turf, his final slam. I think he owes it to all the British fans who've constantly supported him at that slam all these years.

He shouldn't feel bad that he'll disappoint his fans once again because I'm sure no one expects him to win anyway, but at least they can see him one last time at the slam where he's considered the golden boy & has the most support.