Serving lets Henman down in final

TIM HENMAN served miserably as he was easily beaten in the final of the European Community Championship in Antwerp yesterday - but he is already looking forward to his next challenge.

The 22-year-old British number one lost 6-2 7-5 6-4 to Swiss giant Marc Rosset as he failed to make vital points count.

Henman, playing in his third ATP Tour final of the year, constantly misfired on his first serve and although the 6 ft 7 in Rosset also served below his usual form, he was more consistent when it mattered most.

After the two hour and nine minute match, Henman said: "At the start of this week, I did not have much confidence at all in my game after losing in the first round at Dubai. But things have paid off for me. I'm looking forward to next week in Milan.

Rosset will also play in next week's event, but Henman is confident his own form is returning. He added: "I've been improving my form all week and coming through some difficult matches.

"I've had to work for everything, but it has been worth it. Even though my form slipped after the Australian Open and I lost in the first round last week, I never gave up on my self belief. That is the most important thing."

He added: "I put in a lot of time on the practice court and kept working hard. That has helped make the difference this week and has helped me through even with this loss.

"There have been signs all week that my game is there.

Despite this defeat, Henman can look back upon the start of a magnificent year as no British player since the open era began in 1968 has reached three big tournament finals in the space of eight weeks.

But this was not Henman's day as Rosset, number 23 in the world, romped through the first set 6-2 in 29 minutes after breaking Hen man's serve twice in the first five games.

In the second set, Hen man missed a break point for 2-0 and two more for 3-1, before eventually losing the set 7-5 after being broken again in the 11th game.

Henman looked really down and out when he lost his service to go 2-1 down in the third, but showing immense courage, he broke back in the sixth, his first and only success against the big Swiss serve.

He immediately lost his own delivery to fall behind 4-3 and the next three games all went with service to give Rosset the title.