SUNDAY CELEBRITY CHAT HOOW D As Wimbledon kicks off yoU spend tomorrow, we catch up with YOUR tennis champion Tim Henman, SUndAY? 41, about his sporting rival, ■ Hungover or fresh as a daisy? the joys of retirement, and the There’s a good chance I’ll be hungover. One of secret to his happy marriage… my passions is wine – I’ve even got a wine cellar in my house. e thought we’d left the horror of PE kits ■ Sunday lunch at behind us long ago. But no, here we are home or squeezing – there’s actual squeezing pub roast? involved, trust us – our lumps and From left: with Andy Murray in 2006, commentating on Wimbledon last year, and playing Wimbledon in 2007. I like being at home, but bumps into skintight tennis whites that we do have a great pub leave nothing to the imagination. a second we wish the floor would swallow but they don’t have any aspirations to play in the village so that’s A couple of things have changed since we were last us whole, tennis racket and all. But then he ‘Henman Hill tennis,’ says Tim. ‘I’m quite happy with W always an option. summoned to the tennis court. For a start, there’s no mum breaks into an enormous grin, and strolls off, that – Henman is the wrong surname I cook breakfast but to write us a sick note, and there’s no school nurse to hide leading the way to where we’ll be playing. being called in this country.’ beyond that, my behind. Also, this time we’re at Wimbledon. About to play As we waddle out onto one of Things could not have been more Murray wife does most of a match with Tim Henman. TIM. HENMAN. Wimbledon’s world famous courts, all different for Tim when he was growing up in the cooking. Tim is as tall, lean and fit-looking as he was back in the foolish visions of recreating a cheeky, Mound? I Oxfordshire. The family had a grass tennis days when he was ranked as British Number One. He’s bum-flashing Athena poster vanish from our court in their garden, and – coming from a ■ Last Sunday... also friendly and cheerful, but the most striking thing about minds. We’ve got bigger things to worry don’t know long line of talented tennis players – Tim was I was coaching, which I him is just how down-to-earth he is: as we pass through a about: such as a) not falling over and what you’re out on the court from the age of three. ‘I love. Although I have to security check point, Tim stops to apologise to the guard. b) making sure we don’t hit Tim in the face used to play with a shortened squash racket,’ say that because I’ve just ‘I’m so sorry, I must have left my pass in the dressing with one of our many rogue balls (we on about!’ remembers Tim. ‘I played a lot of other sport been coaching you guys! rooms – am I alright to come through?’ The guard wonder if he’s got it insured?). too, but when I was six my mum brought me But I love teaching the ushers us through, with a look that says, ‘Mate-we’re-at- After a game that results in dozens of here [to Wimbledon] for the first time and I young ones who have so Wimbledon-and-you’re-Tim-Henman.’ tennis balls pinging in the wrong direction, we settle down thought, “This is what I want to do.”’ many dreams and Surely a man as famous as Tim needs no introductions? for a chat in the Robinsons Box, with a perfect view of Even being close to the famous court is making us quake aspirations. ‘People still shout, “Come on, Tim!” at me a lot,’ he Centre Court. ‘I’ve always said if I could have played my in our squeaky new tennis shoes, but Tim is philosophical ■ Gym day or laughs. ‘But the difference is nowadays I also get a lot of, whole career on one court, it would have been this one,’ about keeping cool. ‘It’s good to be a bit nervous because lazy day? “Come on, Andy” too! I just say, “Andy who?”’ The Andy in says Tim, as he looks out on the currently rain-battered that means you want it, but you can’t think about how many Lazy day for sure – I’ve question is, of course, Andy Murray, everyone’s favourite court. ‘It was hard not to get distracted by who was in the people are watching at home,’ he says. ‘You need to keep spent enough time in the Scot who blew Tim out of the water when he became the Royal Box sometimes, but staying focused is a huge part perspective: my father-in-law is a surgeon, so if he has a gym over the years. first British man to win Wimbledon in 2013. of the game.’ bad day at work, it means someone doesn’t come Tentatively, we ask Tim the question to which we’re As a commentator, Tim still spends a fair bit of out alive. We’re just playing a game, after all.’ ■ Running errands dying to know the answer: how does he feel about time at Wimbledon during the season, but can Tim and his wife Lucy got together when or pampering? Henman Hill (the grassy bank at Wimbledon where anyone mostly be found in his Oxfordshire home with she was working for a TV company that was I’d much rather be lying a gaggle of girls: lovely wife of 17 years making a documentary about the budding who’s anyone is seen eating strawberries and drinking by a pool than running I-IMAGES. S, R Pimm’s) being renamed Murray Mound? ‘I don’t know Lucy, and daughters Rosie, 13, Olivia, 11, tennis star. ‘The producers realised errands. what you’re talking about,’ he says. ‘I’ve never heard and Grace, eight. I was talking a lot more when she ■ Lie-in or up with ‘I used to travel for 35 weeks a year, and was around, so they brought her in REUTE E, anyone call it that.’ His face is absolutely deadpan, and for R the lark? I don’t miss that side of it at all,’ says more often,’ laughs Tim. ‘We were OO Tim. ‘People often ask me if I struggle in married three years later, and that Now the children are M retirement, but the answer is not at all! was 17 years ago now. My secret older, we can have a bit There are a lot of perks to retiring at 33, to a happy marriage? I play golf of a lie-in. Weekends are JEFF : such as being able to do the school run Monday to Friday and she’s out a lot more relaxed now. and go to Sports Day.’ riding her horses! We see each Before they used to PHOTOS People still shout We can only imagine how the other other at the weekend.’ wake up at 6am! dads feel when a former British tennis With And with that Tim’s off to ■ My perfect Sunday champion arrives at the playing field. But wife Lucy thwack a few more balls about, would be... Tim is far from a pushy sporting dad. ‘My and we’re off to the changing At home with my family OSIE HOPEGOOD. OSIE HOPEGOOD. girls play lots of sport and are very active, rooms to peel off our whites! ■ R and friends, in the sunny : garden having a BBQ DS R with some good wine. WO ‘Come on TIm!’ Our Rosie and People would be surprised to know... Tiger Tim …that I’m a …I don’t have loads of ...how much wine --but I also get pyromaniac! tennis paraphernalia I drink. Even back in In winter I’ll light fires around the house, my tennis days, I felt indoors, and in the but I do have two Olympic that a glass of wine summer I’ll have bonfires. torches. The girls take or a beer was okay as We’ll toast marshmallows them into schools for it would help me relax ‘Come on Andy’ too! or steaks or whatever’s projects, but never put them and that’s a positive going – I love it. back properly. thing. 4 SUNDAY ROBINSONS IS GIVING AWAY A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE WIMBLEDON Ladies’ FINAL EVERY DAY ON ITS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER PAGES. VISIT Facebook.com/Robinsons oR SUNDAY 5 @DRINKROBINSONS FRom 27th June – 2nd JulY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS SHARE YOUR REAL TASTE OF WIMBLEDON USING THE HASHTag #tASTEOFWIMBLEDON.