Henman finally defeated in 5 sets

Tim Henman finally lost in a 5-set thriller to Felix Lopez yesterday. He has again demonstrated his brilliant qualities as a serve and volleyer - a dying breed in modern tennis. To his credit, Felix was just as good at the net with his "Joseph" style service, it was difficult to guess whether it was a slice or top-spin serve most of the time.

Had Tim converted that easy volley when leading 3-1 in the first set tie-break, he might have won in 4 sets. Tennis is a game about converting your opportunities when presenting with them. One of the biggest criticisms of Tim was his inability to play the big points aggressively.

Two other learning points -

Felix Lopez was hitting his backhand cross-court 90% of the time, some even doubted whether he had a drive backhand down the line shot. So being predictable in tennis is not a good strategy. Every now and then, surprise your opponent with something unexpected once in a while, and mix up your choice of shots within your capability. It is not the same as hitting shots with low chance of success.

Secondly, you need to read your opponent's weakness. It was evident to Lopez that Tim's forehand return was not good under pressure. The same said for Lopez's backhand in tight situations. This is most of the points will be won. When you practise service, you need to hit them wide, down the middle and also body shot (making it difficult for opponent to take any effective swing at your service) Something Edmond and Ernest could help you with.

Finally, the main difference between victory and defeat in tennis quite often lies with physical fitness. Lopez is a younger, stonger player with better stamina in 5-set match. All those physical training will help you in tight situations. Remember you need to play 3 sets in 2 hours in inter-school competition, which is quite demanding

Enjoy your practice