It maybe called the Murray Mound now, but to a generation of tennis fans, the Aoraki Terrace at Wimbledon will always be the Henman Hill. Tim Henman had never won the title at SW19. In fact, he never reached the finals of a Grand Slam. But Henman’s tennis had always been a little more than just the numbers - pure passion, and serve and volley. Calcutta South Club today hosted the four-time Wimbledon semi finalists, who came here as an ambassador for ‘The Road To Wimbledon’ initiative. Now 40, Henman spoke about his admiration for Roger Federer, the great Federer-Nadal rivalry and also, IPTL and Indian tennis. Excerpts: On the modern-day game This is the golden age of tennis. We’ve Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray at the top and they’re all very dominant. Together they make the game very exciting. On Federer I love Federer. When you see all aspects of him, on and off the court, he commands respect both as a person and a player. He’s a great player and a great ambassador for the game. And he’s still going strong. He’s the best I’ve seen. After retirement, he’s going to be sorely missed. On Federer-Nadal rivalry It was fascinating, but I think it’s over now. Injuries have affected Nadal’s game and I can’t presently see this rivalry coming into the frame again. Others have arrived. They’re making their presence felt (at the top). On his career I’ve no regrets. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved as a player. Yes, it would have been great to play the (Wimbledon) finals and there will always be a little disappointment. But it’s okay. On IPTL IPTL is a great thing to happen. Tennis needs to grow as a game in Asia and the tournament gives it the right impetus. I would like to be a part of it for a short while next year. On Indian tennis Indian players have got natural talent and they mainly rely on handskills. But they’re seriously lacking in the physical side of the game. Over the years, the Indian players have done well in doubles and mixed doubles but it’s time India should look to produce top-class singles players. On grass court tennis We must take steps at the grassroots to ensure that grass court tennis doesn’t cease to exist.
