Post by Scott on Feb 27, 2007 23:10:57 GMT
From BBC:
British number two Tim Henman made the perfect start to his 2007 season with a rampant display against France's Nicolas Mahut in the Las Vegas Open.
The 32-year-old has not played since October because of a knee injury and flu, but shook off first-game jitters to cruise through the round-robin tie.
Having saved two break points in game one, the Briton reeled off four straight games to secure the first set.
And he broke twice again in the second to win 6-1 6-2 in just over an hour.
Henman, ranked 37 in the world, stated before the match he welcomed the round-robin style format as he was guaranteed to play two matches to ease back to match fitness.
However, he showed few ill effects from his lengthy lay-off and Mahut, 25, had no answer to the Briton's power.
Aided by a first-serve percentage of 70 in the first set, Henman took control after breaking for the first time in game four.
And it was a similar story in the second as the seventh seed saw out the final four games to seal victory, although he had to save three break points to serve out for the match.
Henman will now face Spain's Feliciano Lopez in his second group match knowing that another victory will see him through to the quarter-finals.
British number two Tim Henman made the perfect start to his 2007 season with a rampant display against France's Nicolas Mahut in the Las Vegas Open.
The 32-year-old has not played since October because of a knee injury and flu, but shook off first-game jitters to cruise through the round-robin tie.
Having saved two break points in game one, the Briton reeled off four straight games to secure the first set.
And he broke twice again in the second to win 6-1 6-2 in just over an hour.
Henman, ranked 37 in the world, stated before the match he welcomed the round-robin style format as he was guaranteed to play two matches to ease back to match fitness.
However, he showed few ill effects from his lengthy lay-off and Mahut, 25, had no answer to the Briton's power.
Aided by a first-serve percentage of 70 in the first set, Henman took control after breaking for the first time in game four.
And it was a similar story in the second as the seventh seed saw out the final four games to seal victory, although he had to save three break points to serve out for the match.
Henman will now face Spain's Feliciano Lopez in his second group match knowing that another victory will see him through to the quarter-finals.
