Come On Tim

[NMH]

How is his ability in question when he has reached 4 quarter-finals and 4 semi-finals in the last 11 years?

Moya didn't just hang in there. He is the former World Number One and his world ranking was fast improving to the stage of 25. He was even seeded if you hadn't noticed. His serve is his most potent weapon nowadays and Henman managed to hold tight and grind out a very plucky victory.

Reasonable? You are selling him short.

So, that one game is a litmus for his present ability in the competitive field eh?
If that is the case, Moya better hang his head and request that they review seed ranking.

Yes, it was great for tennis to have a local boy tearin' it up against a fer'ner in the first round, make it nice and nailbiting, and get the crowd galvanised and the profile high in the media. An enjoyable match all round. I watched every minute of it.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

So, that one game is a litmus for his present ability in the competitive field eh?
If that is the case, Moya better hang his head and request that they review seed ranking.

Yes, it was great for tennis to have a local boy tearin' it up against a fer'ner in the first round, make it nice and nailbiting, and get the crowd galvanised and the profile high in the media. An enjoyable match all round. I watched every minute of it.

A decent performance is certainly a good indicator of his current form. He took the game to Moya and managed to grind out a very decent victory when a break in the last set can be very unsettling for both players. Henman hasn't lost much speed, but the biggest factor will be recovery time.

It is certainly a positive start rather than a laboured victory over a lowly placed qualifier.

Why should Moya be ashamed and why should the ranking system be reviewed?! It could have gone either way and he was beaten by the better man on the day. Henman is a grass court specialist, whereas Moya is not. His seeding was due to the fact his recent form has been very good and he is a relatively big server.

 

[NMH]

Well that's what I'm saying, the seeding isn't a factor, nor should Moya be ashamed.
As a spectacle it was an interesting and mostly enjoyable contect between two veterans.

To place any faith or favour upon 'our Tim' as an individual competitor, and call him the Great British hope, would be sad (or funny, if looking at it in irony) though. He really doesn't have the chops to get that far.
In my opinion, he never has had, except for a bit of luck of the draw, here and there, and a fairly consistent game with few injuries.

No doubt there will be fond farewells and a few tears when he takes another Wimbledon bow out, although not quite as universally as, say, Agassi, or his missus Graf, or Navratilova. He's been 'our Tim' to many. For British stars, I can only recall Virginia Wade as a champion.

There are those who want to place an interest in nationality on these players, but for me I'd rather just forget what lump of earth they were born unto, and view their individual playing talents.

The only other factor that I find myself influenced by, is their personality. (I'm not much of a Connors fan for that reason, but I knew someone who's very young son he physically assaulted for hitting his car with a berry. Under threat of prosecution and media exposure he made a profuse apology, then after he warmly had them sign an agreement not to persue it further, he threw them out, followed with expletives)