Is This Henman’s Year?

Tenth-seeded Tim Henman has advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals four of the last five years and remains Britain’s best hope for a countryman to win Wimbledon, a feat not accomplished since Fred Perry in 1936. A quick look at Henman:

* Age: 28.

* 2003 record: 9-9.

* 2003 singles titles: 0.

* Career singles titles (on grass): 9 (0).

* Major titles: None.

* Last five Wimbledons: 2002-SF, ‘01-SF, ‘00-4th, 1999-SF, ‘98-SF.

* Friendly seeding: Although he’s ranked only 29th, organizers gave more advantageous seeding (10th) based on past performances.

* Fast fact: Great-grandmother Ellen Stawell Brown was first woman to serve overhand at Wimbledon, in 1901.

* No pressure: One front-page headline after Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were upset in the second round last year: “No pressure Timbo, but choke now and we’ll never forgive you.”

* Quotable: “There’s going to be a lot of pressure and expectation just like always on him, but he handles it as well as anyone. What he’s done making semifinals year after year is pretty impressive.” -- No. 1-seeded Lleyton Hewitt, who eliminated Henman in 2002.