He has won just six ATP titles, none of them in the Masters Series. This season the Australian Open ended in a disappointing defeat by Pat Rafter, followed by poor results in the Masters tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami. Henman's recent split with David Felgate, the man who had coached him since he turned professional in 1993, further fuelled speculation within the tennis establishment that time was running out. While, at the age of 26, he is hardly bathchair material, during the past 25 years only three first-time Grand Slam champions have been older. Henman is, on this point as with all others, preternaturally equable.
People talk about age being a factor.
Sometimes well, sometimes not so well. Just the basics of winning and losing are what to me the game is all about. His logic reminds me of secondary school maths - if not A then B, no place for debate, only one correct answer. Which is, arguably, the nature of competition. At 33, as long as I can look back and say I did everything that I possibly could have, then whatever you've achieved, you know that will have been your maximum.