A middle-class hero
Yesterday I had the agony of watching Tim Henman almost lose at Wimbledon again. How many years have I been putting myself through this? And today there’s more to come as he goes into the second round. I have a vast pile of ironing and will steady my nerves with green tea, hoping against hope that he’ll make it.
I can’t quite work out why it matters so much, I suppose except that I am mad about tennis and would love to see an Englishman win Wimbledon, or anything for that matter. When I was growing up I had Bjorn Borg to cheer. Then Stefan Edberg to fancy. Now there’s really no one that I support with any great passion apart from Henman. Although I admire Federer for his total brilliance.
The problem with Henman is he’s just too middle-class to win. As I watched him sipping something that looked suspiciously like home-made elderflower juice yesterday it struck me that he just lacks the drive and hunger to really make it. He never struts onto to the court like Nadal who looks like he’s about to fight a prize-winning bull. Yesterday for once he looked fired up and actually punched the air a couple of times. Sadly he looked a bit like Bertie Woorster would have done, rather silly.
I adore Tim Henman and won’t have a word said against him. He is just the kind of boy you’d want your girls to bring home and announce they were in love with. But that sort of character doesn’t always make a ruthless winner.
There is hope for the future though. Last night I spent an hour throwing a table-tennis ball to Leo who hit it back to me (and at me) with a bat. “I’m a genius,” he announced every time he hit a good shot. I have to admit he doesn’t look half-bad. And he’s left-handed which is great news.
I had a Bridget Jones moment (remember when after the first email exchange with Daniel Cleaver she fantasizes about their wedding day) where I saw myself in the VIP box at Wimbledon watching Leonardo win the title, the first Englishman to do so for several hundred years. The crowds were going crazy cheering, I was weeping, he looked splendid with his blond floppy hair and Ralph Lauren shorts. Then I got a table-tennis ball on my head.
But I am going to enroll him for the children’s Wednesday afternoon tennis sessions in Pezenas. You never know. Do you think I could bring my ironing and green tea to centre court?
Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2007
27 Jun 2007 helena
I disagree that Tim is too middle-class to win. I think he has had an excellent career and succeeded to the extent of his ability - a number of years in the top ten is no mean feat. He was ranked number four in 2002 and has earned more than more than 12 million dollars. When he was at his peak he was unfortunate enough to come up against Pete Sampras, one of the best grass court players ever. What Tim lacked was a big weapon - a serve or a huge forehand. Doesn’t matter what class you are - if you ain’t got it you ain’t gonna win!
Great blog by the way..
I’m with you, HFP, in that I think his middle class upbringing and controlled personality legislates against him. But he has done well; I remember him being villified in the Press becuase a) he was born and raised in middle class Oxfordshire and b) horror of horrors, his parents had a grass court in the garden. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t…
Thought he played brilliantly yesterday.
Had a Bridget Jones moment couple of weeks back when Lewis Hamilton won his first F1 GP - my daughter’s dream is to become a racing driver - I’ll be in the paddock with the cucumber sandwiches!
So between a few of us we have Wimbledon champions, F1 supremos and, in my case, a singing diva the like of which the known world has never heard, not to mention a soccer star extraordinaire. And to think they have the nerve to say parents live their dreams through their children…!
Great BJ moment but if your child is going to compete in anything, you will need something stronger than green tea!
I know exactly what you mean about Henman.
Federer is hot, stylish & confident and these just make him soo cool, ahhh! Sharapova is a vamp of a tennis player, gorgeous, smart, winner! Having Russian background I feel so proud for the girl! Actually, my latest secret dream is Sharapova and Federer falling in love with each other!
The game to watch though is Federer against Safin tomorrow, two sexy guys fighting on the court!
Helena, your little Leo definitely got the first very important “must have” to become a tennis star - the looks, and a good, regular tennis coaching will only help to get him into Wimbledon! Good luck;)
I think you must develop a better taste in tennis players, helena - especially as you come from a nation of handsome tennis players. A benefiot of the rain has been the BBC showing endless highlights of past glories including the epic contest, everybody’s favourite match of all time, between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg which your compatriot won 1-6, 7-5, 6-3,6-7 (16-18), 8-6. Well, they had them both on, remembering the match, and Mrs M said Bjorhg MORE handsome than ever and even to my non-gay eye he is a good looking man - some kind of God. Henman is a good example of why the British do not win enough - the attitude that it’s not the winning or losing, but playing the game, that matters. You are a Swede will know this is quite false. It is not the spirit that drives Ikea, for example, to supply you with Nordic comfort food, in the garrigue of Hérault.