Henman crashes out of French Open

Tim Henman today crashed out of the French Open in the second round at the hands of Belgium's Xavier Malisse.

Henman squandered a 3–1 lead in the fourth set as he lost his serve four times in succession in a 2–6 6–3 7–6 6–3 defeat.

The British number one, who recorded a straight–sets victory over Spain's Galo Blanco in the first round, looked to have recovered from a poor start as he levelled the match in the second set and led 4–2 in the third.

But the 27–year–old failed to live up to his billing as sixth seed as he allowed Malisse back into the match, 76 unforced errors contributing to his failure to make the third round for the first time in four years.

Having lost the first set tamely in just 35 minutes, Henman began the second set in starkly contrasting fashion, winning his opening service game to love and breaking Malisse's serve as he stormed into a 4–1 lead.

Two double–faults in the seventh game gifted Malisse two chances to break back, but Henman dug deep to avert the danger and take a 5–2 lead.

Malisse appeared to be struggling with an injury to his right ankle during that game, grimacing with pain as he went for a return, although it did not prevent him from holding serve to reduce his deficit.

But Henman was not to be denied and served out to take the set 6–3 and level the match.

Malisse was being coached by Henman's former coach David Felgate when he beat the British number one in five sets in the third round of last year's US Open, the only previous meeting between the two.

But the momentum appeared to have switched distinctly in Henman's favour when he broke Malisse in the first game of the third set, and saved two break points to go into a 3–1 lead.

Henman had a great chance to earn a double break and effectively seal the set in the seventh game, but missed a simple forehand and was made to pay dearly in the next game.

Another poor forehand gave Malisse break point, and this time a weak backhand into the net allowed the Belgian to level the scores.

Henman again took the early initiative in the tie–break, moving into a 2–0 lead, before Malisse rallied to take the next four points in a row.

Back came Henman with a superb smash to get back to 4–5 down, before Malisse enjoyed a vital slice of luck when his forehand clipped the net and dropped inches over, giving Henman no chance and Malisse two set points.

He only needed the one, Henman hitting a wild forehand wide as Malisse took a two sets to one lead. Henman held serve in the opening game of the fourth set, Malisse unlucky to break a fourth string of the day on break point.

Both players were feeling the tension however, and the next four service games were all broken, Henman leading 2–0 and 3–1 before being pegged back each time.

A double fault allowed Malisse to reduce the deficit to 3–2, and after the 21–year–old held serve for the first time in the set, he broke Henman for the third time in a row for a 4–3 lead.

Henman had the look a broken man now and after Malisse had held serve, the Briton found himself facing three match points.

He saved one but could do nothing about the second, a dipping Malisse backhand forcing him to net a difficult half–volley, and Henman had failed to reach the third round for the first time in four years, beaten 6–2 3–6 7–6 6–3 in just over three hours.