Following speculation in the British media at the beginning of the week Tim Henman OBE has confirmed that he will retire from professional tennis after the Davis Cup tie against Croatia at Wimbledon at the end of September.
The announcement came at a press conference in New York where Tim is preparing for the US Open which starts on Monday.
The former British Number one said “This certainly isn’t a decision I have taken lightly and is something I have been thinking about for a long time. While I still enjoy competing it has become clear that my ability to do so has been severely compromised by my fitness – I have recently found it impossible to withstand the rigours of playing tennis at the highest level.”
Apart from his many fans and supporters, there’s no doubt that adidas will also miss this very popular man. After all, Tim has been in the Top 20 in the world every year since turning pro in 1993!
Tim’s wife Lucy is expecting their third child shortly and he is really looking forward to being able to spend a lot more time with his family.
On his official website, Tim said “I also want to take this opportunity to thank all my fans for their incredible support not only on home soil but also around the world. I’ve always found it amazing that wherever I’ve found myself on court I’ve always been able to find at least one British flag in the crowd and, regardless of the score, the support I’ve enjoyed has always been unwavering.
“I also want to thank my sponsors for their support along with everybody else who has helped me focus on trying to fulfil my potential. Tennis is an individual sport but there are so many people that have given so much more than they needed to in an effort to help me, and for that I am eternally grateful.
“I would also like to thank my trainer Johan De Beer and my coach Paul Annacone. Apart from their unstinting support day-in, day-out they have been great friends and hopefully will remain so for many years to come.”
There’s no doubt that his departure from the professional game at Wimbledon next month will be an emotional one. Let’s hope he can finish on a high by helping Great Britain return to the Davies Cup World Group in 2008.