HENman awarded OBE... Erm, why?

[Trigger]

Tim HENman has been awarded OBE by the Queen just one week after failing in his latest bid to win Wimbledon.

The 29-year-old crashed out of the SW19 Grand Slam in the quarter-finals to unseeded Croatian Mario Ancic.

But the world number five, who has reached the Wimbledon semi-finals four times, was honoured for his long-term services to British tennis.

 

[JJ McClure]

You 'avin a bubble?

 

[Titanic]

The world number five, who has reached the Wimbledon semi-finals four times, was honoured for his long-term services to British tennis.

 

[Icy Gull]

He's an object of derision but is regularly a top 20 player who has got through to the second week of Wimbledon for what seems like decades. He'll probably be the last Briton to do it for the next 20 years as well.

Love him or loathe him he has raised (dramatically) the profile of English tennis and deserves recognition.

 

[Yorkie]

World number five

He's the best we've got

 

[Icy Gull]

Shame our cricketers aren't as highly ranked as Henman, we might win something

 

[Trigger]

They hand these awards out willy nilly these days, i wonder if the Bristol City team will get OBE's for coming so close to promotion for the last 5 seasons...

 

[Yorkie]

They hand these awards out willy nilly these days, i wonder if the Bristol City team will get OBE's for coming so close to promotion for the last 5 seasons...

Vast difference of 3rd division football (I still think of the old descriptions a la Soccer AM) in one country and the WORLD.

Just cos you don't like tennis. I am not a great fan but you do have to recognise his achievement.

Why no complaints about the yachtsmen who get OBE's and suchlike?

 

[bigc]

because they win?

 

[Trigger]

I do like tennis, i think Greg Rusedski deserves an award, he's made a major final, HENman hasn't.

 

[saltash seagull]

but rusedski aint british! ok henman dont deserve an obe but at least he's from our lovely country

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

wait till henman retires then you realise just how good him and rusedski are
we have nothing after these two

 

[SK1NT]

heard jeremy bates is planning a come back

 

[Mr Popkins]

i reckon cliff richard could give him a run for his money!

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Kinkygerbil is right. Where did our other tennis players get to at Wimbledon this year, or in the last twenty? Henman has been the only reason we have any interest in Wimbledon and got to the French Open semi final this year too. It is only because we have no other tennis players that people criticise him. Why not give Henman and break and attack all other British tennis players?

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

wait till henman retires then you realise just how good him and rusedski are
we have nothing after these two

Exactly - why do people call him a failure and a loser when he consistently does well in at least one grand slam (plus the French Open this year), just because he doesn't win the thing? He isn't one of the world's top class players, he is part of the second tier beneath the likes of Federer and Roddick, so why is he expected to destroy all before him?
Are Millwall failures for not winning the FA Cup? Hardly, they achieved above themselves, just as Henman has done on occasions. He has as good a volley as anyone in the game, but this does not make him world-class. Lay off him, he's the best we have and we should be grateful for that

 

[Yorkie]

Repugnant Toad, surely someone who has been consistently in the top ten in the world is world class?

 

[Mr Popkins]

we have had this discusion b4, he is an upper class twat who wouldnt be where he is today without the funding of his rich parents. unfortuntely playing Tennis is an elitest sport in britain.
i cannot support someone who has had a major advantage to others in Tennis.

 

[Marshy]

Nice one Tim totally deserved.

 

[Yorkie]

we have had this discusion b4, he is an upper class twat who wouldnt be where he is today without the funding of his rich parents. unfortuntely playing Tennis is an elitest sport in britain.
i cannot support someone who has had a major advantage to others in Tennis.

Inverted snobbery. He cannot help the fact he was born to rich parents.

What was he supposed to do?

Oh I have this talent but I will only use the council courts to practise. No matter how rich you are it doesn't give you an eye for the ball.