Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Henman survives first-round scare
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-06-23 09:12

Tim Henman rode a wave of passionate support to stutter into the second round of Wimbledon with a 4-6 7-6 6-4 6-2 victory over Spain's Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo.

Bidding to end Britain's 68-year wait for a homegrown men's champion, Henman's title chances had appeared to be in jeopardy for almost two sets as his claycourt specialist opponent punched one hole after another into the fifth seed's game.

Henman arrived at the grasscourt grand slam with especially high hopes this year following his surprising run to the semi-finals of the French Open earlier this month.

Add a favourable draw to the equation -- Mark Philippoussis is the only notable seed Henman has to face before a potential semi-final with second seed Andy Roddick -- and the omens looked good for an easy passage through the first week.

Playing his 96th match on grass, Henman had been expected to demolish a opponent making his debut on the slick turf, but initially it was 89th-ranked Ramirez-Hidalgo who took the game to the serve-and-volley exponent on court one.

As the 29-year-old uncharacteristically buried two volleys into the net to drop his serve to love in the seventh game of the opening set, the pony-tailed Ramirez-Hidalgo pumped his fists in delight.

The smile on Ramirez-Hidalgo's face grew even wider three games later when he slammed an unreturnable backhand into Henman's racket to bag the first set in just 22 minutes.

With Henman's trademark weapons continuing to misfire at the start of the second, Ramirez-Hidalgo gained an early break and edged closer to recording his first victory at a grand slam event.

But Henman had only once before stumbled at the first hurdle at the All England Club -- on his debut in 1994 -- and, after labouring for more than an hour, he finally cracked Ramirez-Hidalgo's resolve and gained the break back.

Backed by cries of 'Come on Tim' and 'Go on Tiger', Henman took the set into a tiebreak, but again the Spaniard had the initiative.

Henman was forced to save two sets points, the second with a sublime volley which left the charging Ramirez-Hidalgo sliding into the net.

That gave the Briton the boost he needed and he took the tiebreak 8-6 to level the contest at one-set all

Thereafter the 26-year-old Spaniard never looked like winning and Henman sealed his passage to a second-round tie against Swiss qualifier Ivo Heuberger with his 13th ace.



 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

Iraq militants behead South Korean hostage Kim

 

   
 

Epidemic control to enter national plan

 

   
 

Wen: China, US share wide interests

 

   
 

US approved use of dogs against prisoners

 

   
 

ACD nations issue energy strategy

 

   
 

Progress expected from six-party talks

 

   
  Sweden and Denmark through to quarters
   
  Italy crash out despite win over Bulgaria
   
  Soccer fan stabbed to death at Euro 2004
   
  McGrady-Francis swap leads NBA rumor mill
   
  New Jersy grants boxing license to Mike Tyson
   
  Race issue surfaces in Kobe Bryant rape case
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Three Chinese women in Wimbledon singles
   
Federer defends title on Halle's grass court
   
Henin-Hardenne pulls out of Wimbledon
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 骆驼趾美女图片欣赏| avtt加勒比手机版天堂网| 最新国产午夜精品视频不卡| 亚洲色成人网一二三区| 精品综合久久久久久98| 国产亚洲精久久久久久无码| 欧美性bbwbbw| 国产精品欧美久久久久无广告| a级片在线免费看| 成人免费毛片视频| 国产1区2区3区4区| 国产激情视频在线观看首页| 国产精品视频a| 99热这里有精品| 好吊日视频在线| 丁香狠狠色婷婷久久综合| 无遮挡动漫画在线观看| 久久精品国内一区二区三区| 欧美亚洲国产日韩| 亚洲日韩AV一区二区三区四区 | 精品视频一区在线观看| 国产乱妇乱子视频在播放| 鲁不死色原网站| 国产无遮挡又黄又爽在线观看 | 欧美日韩一区二区三区麻豆| 国产精品无码V在线观看| 97精品国产97久久久久久免费| 日韩av激情在线观看| 亚洲a在线播放| 欧美伊人久久久久久久久影院 | 亚洲国产精彩中文乱码av| 毛片毛片毛片毛片出来毛片| 亚洲黄色免费观看| 男人j放进女人p动态图视频| 免费人妻精品一区二区三区| 精品69久久久久久99| 全部免费a级毛片| 黄色免费网址在线观看| 国产精品jizz在线观看直播| 香蕉伊思人在线精品| 国产精品成人无码视频|