Tim Henman's Wimbledon dreams were finally dashed on his fourth consecutive day of Centre Court duty as he was beaten by Feliciano Lopez in yet another five-set thriller.
The British number two fought back from two sets and a break down to take the match into a decider - his 13th five-set battle during his long Wimbledon career. But it proved to be unlucky 13 as Lopez grabbed control again to win 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 2-6, 6-1.
The match had, of course, begun on Wednesday afternoon but just six minutes activity was possible before the rains came down, with the scores at one game all.
When battle resumed at lunchtime today neither player’s serve looked invulnerable, but equally neither man was returning sufficiently well to make an impact.
The first set went to a tie-break and Henman inched ahead with an early mini-break but 25-year-old Lopez got it back for 3-2 and that proved the pivotal moment.
The Briton did not close out a point which should have been his. Lopez sensed its importance, urging himself on with a bellow of “Vamos!”. He repeated the cry moments later when a good return gave him a mini-break of his own. Henman, 32, promptly double-faulted and Lopez made it six points in a row to take the set.
That solid start helped Lopez underline the fact that he was going to be a tough opponent. After all he is one of those rare Spaniards with good Wimbledon record, having made the third round in four out of his last five appearances, not to mention the quarter-finals in 2005.
At 3-4 in the second, things got even more difficult for Henman and he had to haul back five break points. He got as far as another break point but misjudged the flight of a Lopez return to concede the mini-break, and saw the loss compounded when Lopez delivered a stunning return for 0-3. Henman got one back, but could do no more.
Four times in his career before today Henman had come back to win from two sets down, but never at Wimbledon. At once the chances of this match being a career first receded for him. Lopez blasted a backhand winner for the chance to break, before Henman netted a volley. Yet just when it seemed all over the Briton levelled for 2-2 with a lovely return, then whipped out a classic crosscourt backhand to break again. Henman was up for it, and so, at last, was the crowd. Game on.
Into the fourth, and Lopez seemed to be tightening up. Henman, meanwhile, was gesturing at the Spaniard in a most un-Henman-like way even as he broke to love for 2-1. Suddenly Henman was reading the Lopez serve and the Spaniard had no reply.
Lopez needed a comfort break before addressing the deciding set. If the idea was to halt Henman’s rocketing momentum, it worked a treat. Suddenly the Spaniard broke for 2-0, and with new balls held to love for 3-0. Henman’s frustration was visible, and so was his increasing exhaustion. He gave his all, but in the final analysis Lopez simply had more.
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