John Roberts: Negative atmosphere hangs heavy on British ambition

The eccentric Richard Williams once invited a loquacious Italian tennis writer and broadcaster, Ubaldo Scanagatta, to take a stroll with him round the All England Club grounds. Williams' astonishing daughters, Venus and Serena, were in the locker room at the time, preparing to go out and marmalise their next opponents.

Scanagatta took the opportunity to pick Williams' brain concerning the parental nurturing of tennis talent, explaining that his young son was keen to learn. Williams told Scanagatta to be sure to supervise his child's training and coaching himself as far as possible, rather then entrusting him to a local or national tennis association, and also to prioritise education.

This prompted Scanagatta to ask when best to decide that his son was unlikely to make the grade as a player. "I don't want to hear that kind of negativity!" Williams exploded. "Get away from me!" Scanagatta smiled, thinking Williams was joking. He realised this was not the case and backed away when the tall, imposing Williams ranted: "Get away from me with you're negativity, or I'll call security!"

An extreme example, perhaps, though typical of a man who brought up his daughters on a diet of hard work and homilies such as the one the 20-year-old Serena recited, albeit giggling, after superseding her older sister, Venus, as the Wimbledon women's singles champion and world No 1 last weekend: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

Without calling security, who seemed fully occupied catching a male streaker during the men's singles final on Sunday, Richard Williams' point about negativity is interesting. There is a lot of it about with regard to British tennis in general, much of it justified, and Tim Henman, the nation's leading player, in particular.

When Jack and Jill tumbled down "Henman Hill" wrapped in the flag of St George last Friday, they picked themselves up, dusted themselves down, stiffened their upper lips and made sure their optimism remained intact. This was not the case with some sections of the media, who seemed happy enough to walk up the hill with Henman and then waited for "the middle class mummy's boy" – one of the kinder descriptions – to fall. And fall he did, one step away from reaching the final, his fate in four of the last five summers.

Lleyton Hewitt, the supremely talented 21-year-old Australian world No 1 who out-played Henman, went on to win the title, as did Goran Ivanisevic, who defeated Henman last year in a tight, rain-delayed contest, and Pete Sampras, one of the greats, who denied Henman in 1998 and 1999.

So, this is end of the road for Henman, is it? So, the finest volleyer in the game might as well pack away his rackets and deliver verbal shots as another recruit to television commentary? Why? Because this fit, dedicated athlete will be 28 years old and in need of a zimmer frame when Wimbledon comes round next year? Because he has taken too much pace off his serve, and tottered through several matches before being dispatched by Hewitt? Because he is not a winner at the highest level? You cannot beat a dose of constructive negativity.

We are talking here about a man who yesterday achieved his highest world ranking, No 4 in the ATP Tour computer's entry system for tournaments and seedings, a position only equalled by one British representative, Greg Rusedski, who was elevated to No 4 after advancing to the final of the 1997 United States Open.

Rusedski, who turns 29 on 6 September, a birthdate he shares with Henman, seems to have been pushed even closer towards the knacker's yard after his fourth-round loss to the gifted Belgian, Xavier Malisse. In some respects, Rusedski's defeat was more disappointing than Henman's, because a path to the final through the lower half of the draw had opened. The British No 2 had started to crank his serve again, and his display in dismantling the American Andy Roddick in the third round was as masterful in its way as Hewitt's against Henman.

Henman and Rusedski will soon start their preparation for the American hard-court season leading to the US Open in late August. Unlike one or two of their critics, they tend to be involved in tennis between Wimbledons.

* Two players failed drugs tests at the French Open last month, officials announced yesterday. One tested positive for the banned stimulant bupropion, the other for the local anaesthetic lidocaine. Their identities will not be disclosed until an investigation has been completed.