Wimbledon: Henman has mountain to climb

Tim Henman trails America's Todd Martin two sets to one after their Wimbledon match was suspended because of bad light on Centre Court.

Britain's number one now has a fight on his hands if he is to progress to the quarter finals.

That would see him take on Switzerland's Roger Federer, who disposed of reigning champion Pete Sampras in the previous match on the hallowed turf at the All-England Club.

But Henman has a mountain to climb after he capitulated in the third set to hand his pal Martin the advantage going into Tuesday's play.

Henman held his opening two service games comfortably when the match began but there were worrying moments when he called for the trainer after the third game.

He did not appear to receive any treatment and looked fit enough moments later as he broke Martin's serve with a brilliant backhand return winner for a 3-1 lead.

But after Martin broke straight back with a backhand return winner of his own, the trainer was back on court to rub some ointment into Henman's back at the change of ends.

Whatever the ointment was, it seemed to have done the trick as Henman had no problems taking the set to a tie-break, but then it all went wrong for the 26-year-old.

Martin thumped down an ace to edge 4-3 ahead, followed it with a brilliant return winner and took the next two points as well to take the set 7-6 (7/3).

Ominously the trainer was back again at the end of the tie-break, giving Henman a specially wrapped towel that the sixth seed placed behind his back on the chair.

Henman got off to the perfect start in the second start, breaking Martin in the first game and this time consolidating the break for a 2-0 lead.

That one break should have proved enough as Henman served for the set at 5-4 but the British number one's game again proved fragile at the vital time.

He managed to save two break points but then gifted Martin a third opportunity with a costly double fault, netting a backhand to allow the American to level.

Martin held serve to edge ahead 6-5 and it took a supreme effort from Henman to save two set points in the next game to force another tie-break.

Martin held the early advantage as he led 5-4 but Henman refused to be beaten, winning the next three points in amazing style to take the set 7-6 (7/5) and level the match.

Martin had won both meetings between the pair on grass, the last of which was in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 1996, but Henman triumphed in their last clash, beating the 30-year-old in four sets in the Davis Cup tie in Birmingham in 1999.

The momentum should have been with the Briton after levelling the match but Martin was producing some telling returns which forced Henman to save two more break points in the opening game of the set.

It was only a matter of time however before Martin took advantage of his opportunities and in Henman's next service game he forced the sixth seed to hit a backhand volley long on his fifth break point of the set to earn the break.

He had to work hard to consolidate it, saving four break points as Henman tried desperately to get back on level terms.

But it was not to be and Martin served out to take the set 6-4 for a 2-1 lead before play was suspended shortly before 9pm.