Sampras pushed to limit by Henman

Four little throwaway words, spoken by Pete Sampras after his semi-final win against the Australian tyro Lleyton Hewitt on Saturday, reverberated through the mind yesterday afternoon after he had defeated Tim Henman 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 in the final of the Stella Artois tournament at Queen's: "I've been there before."

This was literally true, Sampras having won this title in 1995, after losing the final the previous year. More strikingly it summed up the huge gap in experience between the two players at this level. It was the American's 74th career final, of which he has now won 57. It was Henman's 11th final, of which he has won but four.

Yet so closely did the British number one push the great man on this occasion that the expectations of Henman becoming the first British man to win at Queen's since Bunny Austin in 1938 were thrillingly high.

But a crucially underhit forehand at the net at 4-4 in the final tie-break was vital, allowing Sampras to win the point with a brilliantly improvised backhand lob, and then serve out the match.

So no equalling Bunny for Henman while he remains Sampras's rabbit, having now lost all five of their meetings. But Sampras knew well enough what a narrow call it had been. "It was as close as you can get in a tennis match. If he had converted one of his break points in that final set it would have been tough for me to get back."

Henman has rarely served better, while the booming Sampras serve, more dangerous than any other player's on this surface, was frequently a touch short of its best. There was really nothing to separate them initially except, on occasions, the intrinsically greater power of the Sampras forehand.

Henman wobbled at 4-5, saving three break points, and then had Sampras in trouble. Neither man would yield the width of a line, and it came as something of a shock when Sampras lost the opening tie-break 7-1. But these were immediately dangerous times for Henman, who recently has been at his most vulnerable when he has nosed ahead.

Sampras hit him early, gaining the all-important break in the third game of the second set and holding on to it determinedly, even though Henman had the chance to level for 5-5.

Now, at one-set all with Sampras, was his moment of truth. Sampras, who will regain his number one ranking today, leaving him a few weeks short of Ivan Lendl's record of 270 weeks at the top, saved three break points in the fourth game and another one in the sixth game. "It just wasn't to be," said Henman, both of these chances and the game in general.

This was Sampras's first final of what has been a decidedly average year, and true to form he won it. It was Henman's third final, the other two in Doha and Rotterdam, and all have been lost.

So now to Wimbledon. "Tim has improved, particularly on the mental side," said Sampras. "He's right up there for Wimbledon but there are no guarantees." It was a view echoed by Henman himself. "This performance was a big boost and I'm going to Wimbledon in a confident mood. But being confident doesn't guarantee me anything."

And the man to beat? "Sampras, without question." So what Henman had hoped would be a stellar Sunday was, for Sampras, just another Stella afternoon. He had, of course, been there before. And it showed.