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'OUR TIMMY' GETS TAME WHEN THE
HEAT IS ON
Henmania: too hard for Henman to
handle
Looking for Sampras and Roddick
By
Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net
Susan
Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.
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FROM WIMBLEDON – With the draw
looking like the plague has hit men’s tennis, Britons around
Jolly Olde England are pushing the Tim Henman wins Wimbledon theory
to a great fervor.
The fact that “Our Timmy” is likely to face the most likely
champion remaining here – Lleyton Hewitt – in the semifinals
if he gets by Brazilian Andre Sa in the quarters, does not seem
to dissuade the public from their belief that 2002 is Henman’s
year. The fact that Henman has won all of two sets in five matches
played against Hewitt does not diminish their enthusiasm. The fact
that they played just a few weeks ago, on grass at the Wimbledon
tune-up tournament known as Queen’s, where was on the wrong
end of the decision does not deter their quest to see Henman to
the finish line.
Concern for Tim, who needed trainer
Bill Norris to come on the court to tend to him during his unforgivably
long five-set, fourth-round battle on Monday against Michel Kratochvil
of Switzerland, a player whose only other appearance at Wimbledon
ended in the first round, was at heightened alert even among the
media circles. This was so much the case that the media requested
an audience with Norris to discuss Henman’s physical status.
Question: Yesterday we saw you out
there with Tim Henman?
Bill Norris: Yeah.
Question:
Were those smelling salts that you used?
Norris: Yeah, it’s ammonia capsules.
You know, it’s got a little bit of alcohol in it and some ammonia
in it.
Question:
Sounds fabulous?
Norris: Yeah. And I guess that’s
been in fashion for years with the older set. Here when they would
faint, they would use it here (England). But I’ve used it for
the past, oh God, 40 years, reviving athletes with ammonia capsules.
Question:
And what was the nature of Tim’s problems out there? He didn’t
look right.
Norris: Well, he had a few issues
there. Number one, when I came out, he said he felt a little dizzy,
so I wanted to revive him with the ammonia capsule. But he also,
you know, his legs, he said he felt really listless. And sometimes
you get players, that it comes up in the middle of a match, especially
after a [rain] delay like that, and I just wanted to pump a little
life in his legs, you know, so he could continue.
Question:
And was there a bit of glucose he was taking at all there?
Norris: He was actually taking an
antacid tablet. He’s had – I think with all the stress
and everything that he’s been going through, as many players
have – they get sort of an acid reflux, and whatever they eat
turns to like an acidic type of condition in their stomach. So we
were trying to really work on that and control that acid.
Question:
So by the time he steps out in his next match against Andre Sa,
what sort of shape do you expect him to be in?
Norris: Well, I think he’s in
good shape now. John Matthews, my colleague in the physio room,
he talked to him today. And the way I left it with him is that he
would get back to me today. And he seems fine.
Phew! A big collective sigh of relief
must have gone out all across the Empire. Their Timmy will be ready
to play.
Of course, those that sigh are not thinking that clearly, that Henman
is keeping to form, getting characteristically nervous as he gets
further through the tournament. That surely doesn’t help his
confidence and doesn’t help his acid reflux either.
DOES
HE HAVE THE ENERGY?
Then there’s the issue that Henman shouldn’t be
going five sets with his last two opponents – Wayne Ferreira
of South Africa in the third round and Kratochvil in the fourth
– if he was planning on saving energy for the next rounds.
This is a problem that has found Henman in the Wimbledon semifinals
three times in the past without enough reserve to go the next step.
The truth is that while we don’t perceive of Sa as a grass
court player, he is performing to high standards at Wimbledon and
could give Henman some trouble in this first career meeting. For
Sa, hanging out for five sets is a walk in the park – it won’t
drain him of energy if he surprisingly bypasses Henman at all. But
if he pushes Henman to the edge before letting the Brit secure passage
to the semifinals, he’ll just make the local favorite an easier
target for probably semifinal opponent Lleyton Hewitt.
Although anything is possible, it would seem that Henmania maniacs
are likely to be disappointed again this year. Yes, with names like
Sa, Sjeng Schalken, Xavier Malisse, David Nabaldian and Nicolas
Lapentti in the quarterfinals, it would seem that it would be Henman’s
great chance at a Wimbledon title. But to his misfortune, he is
scheduled to play the most formidable player in the game in the
semifinal and that will spell sorrow.
Looking for
Sampras and Roddick
Since Pete Sampras and Andy Roddick are long gone from Wimbledon,
here’s where you might catch them next. They’ll be participating
in a one-night exhibition on July 19 at the Moody Coliseum in Dallas
to benefit the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation.
Tim Gullikson, Sampras’s former
coach, died of brain tumors in May 1996, and Sampras has been a
board member of the foundation since its inception.
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