Henman through to the last eight

ANDRE Agassi was still packing his bags when the talk started. The man was still sitting teary eyed on the side of the court and the opportunity had already been spotted. The draw, a local observer remarked has really, opened up for Tim Henman. Don't make me laugh.

That, of course, was before the Englishman had even stepped out on court and the suggestion, even after the 21 year old had seen off Yevgeny Kafelnikov with a wonderful first round performance, seemed fanciful to say the least. Not anymore it doesn't.

Hen man has improved dramatically over the past 12 months. And, while the path has certainly been opened up before him the man from Oxford has done whatever was required of him to take advantage of those favourable circumstances.

Magnus Gustafsson was the English number one's latest opponent and, just as he had against the Russian fifth seed last week, Henman raised his game to defeat what, on paper at least, was a comfortably superior opponent.

Gustafsson had his fair share of chances in a match that contained nine service breaks, but which ultimately came down to a handful of points. Indeed, more might have been expected of a player who has hurtled back up to 37 in the world after a long lay off through injury.

The Swede repeatedly looked surprised by Henman's athleticism in getting the ball back to him and, with the crowd in deafening form for their hero, the Englishman gradually wore the 29 year old down on the way to a 7-6, 6-4, 7-6 victory.

If the crowd on Centre Court was bordering on the hysterical, the 21 year old remained quite calm. He seemed unperturbed by the fact that he is the first Englishman to reach the last eight here since Roger Taylor back in 1973. "Obviously I'm pleased with what I've achieved here, but there it still some more tennis to be played," he said.

As his was one of only three fourth round matches to be completed in a day badly disrupted by rain, Henman must wait a little while to discover whether that tennis will be played against Todd Martin or Thomas Johansson.

But, definitely through in the other half are Goran Ivanisevic, who survived a couple of scares on the way to a 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-1 defeat of Patrick Rafter, and America's Jason Stoltenberg who overcame Jacob Hlasek of Switzerland in straight sets.