It has been 17 years since Tim Henman has played competitive tennis. The retired sportsman, 49, last played at the US Open and Britain’s Davis Cup tie against Croatia in September 2007.
Now, he focuses on family life in Oxfordshire with his wife Lucy and three daughters – Rosie, 21, Olivia, 19, and Grace, 16 – alongside his work in the commentary team for the BBC coverage of Wimbledon.
© John Walton – PA ImagesIn this time, Tim has written a short biography for his website where he offers an insight into his life off the pitch and reveals his greatest fear post-retirement.
© Getty“I think my greatest fear is the loss of my health and to a certain extent you don’t always have control over that,” Tim penned. “In 1994 I broke my ankle and I couldn’t play for five months and that was the most frustrating time of my career.
“On a much more serious note I lost two aunts and a grandfather to cancer and obviously that’s not a good thing but it definitely puts life in perspective,” he continued. “Tennis is one of the most important things in my life but it shouldn’t become the ‘be all and end all’, as there are definitely more important things in life.”
During his decorated career, Tim was not only set back by a broken ankle but by a shoulder injury that prevented him from competing in a 2003 Masters Series event in Monte Carlo.
© GettyIn a 2020 interview with The Herald, Tim reflected on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on tennis players and his concern about injuries following a prolonged rest period.
The father of three said the return to matches could pose a “challenge physically because it doesn’t matter how much you practice and you train, competition is always going to be a bit different”.
© Helen Murray“If some of these players are potentially coming into the US Open as their first tournament and playing best-of-five-set matches, that’s not easy, because there can be some very long matches and their bodies just won’t necessarily be used to that,” he added.
© Getty“So, they’ll have to make sure that they take care of themselves. But I think the vast majority are really keen to get back out there because they love what they do.”
The former athlete also said he has a tendency towards hyperactivity and cracking his knuckles, which he admits “isn’t particularly good for me”.
© GettyDISCOVER: Unmissable moments from Wimbledon this year: Princess Kate’s return, Andy Murray’s final hurrah and more
In terms of staying fit, the tennis player has confessed that getting back onto the court isn’t a personal priority. Tim told The Herald: “I’m much more of a golf addict, so if I’ve got a bit of free time, you’re much more likely to find me on a golf course than a tennis court.”
