Good old Tiger!

By Jason Moore IS Tim Henman a national treasure or a national disgrace? In our very own Rafael Nadal from Manacor, we have a real pearl, but can you say the same about Britain's Number 1. Watching Henman yesterday and then Nadal at Wimbledon, it was like chalk and cheese. Henman weathered through a five-set alleged thriller while Nadal breezed through in three sets, no problem. But I do feel sorry for the small army of fans who suffer with Tiger Tim every year, it's a nightmare but I do wonder whether it is all part of the attraction. Is suffering with Tim, the new highlight of the English summer? Do his fans rather love all the highs and lows? Henmania has been around now for ten years during which time Tiger has failed to win a single major title. But still his small army of fans are out in force to try and rally him along. I doubt that anyone of them seriously believe that he will win Wimbledon. Henman has become the Hugh Grant of tennis which in some ways is quite refreshing. I notice that his parents even applaud good shots by his opponent! Incredible you may say but is this one of the reasons why Henman is so popular? I am sure that he would still be an amateur if he could, some would say that how he is playing at the moment he certainly looks like it. But leaving all the Tiger issues to one side, perhaps Henman is good for tennis and perhaps he is a national treasure. Everyone on the tennis circuit seems to like him and he is certainly a good ambassador. It would be absolutely fantastic if he won Wimbledon but I doubt that he ever will. Henman may not win any major trophies but when he does finally retire, Wimbledon will not be the same. His attraction and his nicknames border on the ridiculous but he is all part of Wimbledon. He's no Tiger but he's certainly given plenty of entertainment.