Grrroans All Round
‘WIMBLEDON came to a sudden and abrupt halt yesterday when Tim Henman was knocked out and we all realised we didn’t know who on earth was left in.
 |
| ‘I hope you lose in the semis and your family are killed in a horrible accident’ |
The Tiger growled his way to the second week for the eighth time – a record only matched by ‘Pistol’ Pete Sampas and ‘Jimbo’ Jimmy Connors.
But much to the dismay of the misfits, miscreants and Miss Bromwich 1997s who constitute his fan base, he lost out at the quarter-final stage to Sebastien Grosjean.
The Telegraph says ‘the feeling of despair and emptiness…was gruesomely evident’ when Henman hit his final return into the net, although it’s unclear whether this despair refers to Henman himself, his fans or the media.
The latter certainly has had to turn to their programmes and find out who else is involved in the tournament.
Not that it would be such a hard guess in the ladies’ singles, where the Williams sisters will use Centre Court to settle their domestic squabble.
In the men’s, Mark Philippoussis beat Alexander Popp (a British passport holder when he was two sets to nil up; a German now he’s lost) to set up a semi-final with Grosjean, while Andy Roddick and Roger Federer will fight it out for the other final place.
Not that the rest of the sports news makes good reading – South Africa easily beat England in the one-dayer at Old Trafford and Bowdoin Rowing Association (US) beat Durham University by one length in the Henley Royal Pooh-Sticks Regatta.
So back to Tim – and stand up and take a bow, wherever you are, Martin Collins a supermarket manager from Watford when the Times caught up with him.
‘Dressed in tennis whites, with a Union Jack thrown across his shoulders and his face painted to resemble a tiger, he laid out his ‘I love Henman’ tablecloth and toasted the British No.1 with a large beaker of sparkling wine.’
Ignore the cynics, Martin – it is people like you who put the Grrrr into Grrrrreat Britain…
‘
Posted: 4th, July 2003 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
