Henman and Rusedski progress in straight sets
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Your support makes all the difference.Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski remain on collision course at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
On an opening day which saw the withdrawals of Andre Agassi and Serena Williams and the defeat of men's second seed Gustavo Kuerten, the two British players – each with a tournament success already this year – were both straightsets winners.
Sixth seed Henman defeated wild card Todd Larkham 7–5 6–2 6–2 in a match interrupted for 84 minutes by a short, sharp shower.
Then, on the same court but with the sun shining, Rusedski saved two set points in the first set before beating another Australian Scott Draper 7–6 (10/8) 6–3 7–5 to stay on track to meet his rival Henman in the third round.
Henman, who kicked off his season in the best possible fashion by taking the Australian hard court championship in Adelaide eight days ago, will next play Belarussian Vladimir Voltchkov who was a Wimbledon semi–finalist two years ago.
But it is Rusedski, victorious in Auckland on Saturday, who could have the far tougher task to set up the first ever grand slam clash between the two.
Blocking the path was likely to be another Aussie, Mark Philippoussis, back playing well after two knee operations.
Against an opponent ranked only 191st, Henman agreed his was a nice match to get out of the way without losing a set or expending too much energy at the start of what he hopes will be a long championship.
"We give you the spiel that we don't like the first round sometimes, that it can be a little bit awkward. I think in the first set that was the case," he said.
"I was definitely a little bit tight, and the rain delay probably didn't help things – I've had enough of them – but I felt once I got the first set under my belt I settled down and played some good tennis.
"I don't really like being too critical when I win because, obviously, that's the most important thing. But I think there are areas in my game that I can probably be a little bit more consistent with.
"My volleying was a little bit erratic at times and probably cost me the one service game I lost, but that's a good sign in one way because it means I'm serving very consistently."
He got 70% of his first serves in, as he did in Adelaide, and would be delighted to maintain that rate throughout.
"I've worked hard on it, and it's important that I continue that. My shots weren't flowing early on, but you can't expect it just to all happen for you.
"I'm perfectly aware that the first round is never easy, and you have to try to work your way into the tournament."
Asked whether the withdrawal of defending champion and favourite Agassi, even from the other half of the draw, boosted his confidence further the Oxford 27yearold replied: "It just adds to the incentive to perhaps take advantage.
"I am keen to go further than I have here before. It's been the fourth round the previous two years, and I feel my game has certainly improved.
"I think I have to be a little bit wary of trying too hard because that's not going to get me through to the second week or deep into it.
"I've got to keep maintaining the form that I have been showing. I obviously do feel confident and I feel like my game is certainly in good shape.
"But you can't take that for granted. It's no good just turning up for my next match saying 'I'm playing well; I've won six matches; it's all going to keep going for me' – because it won't."
The rain holdup came after the British number one had been brought back from 4–1 to 4–4 in the first set. But on the resumption – under the closed roof of the Vodafone Arena – he earned himself a set point in the 10th game and then two more in the 12th.
Larkham, a wild card ranked only 191st in the world, saved the first two, but not the third and always looked a beaten man from that moment.
Henman won the first 10 points of the second set, breaking for 2–0, and again won the set at the third opportunity when his opponent sent a forehand long.
The third set followed the same pattern, Larkham doublefaulting to lose his serve in the fourth game and losing the match on another.
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