Serena set for seeding
Henman hints at Wimbledon allowance for new mum
SERENA S WILLIAMS could be awarded a a seeding for Wimbledon, Tim Henman has hinted. Williams is ranked 183 as she works her way back after giving birth last year. Henman, who will be a key figure in today’s All England Club debate on the issue, referred to last week’s decision by the US Open to support returning mothers. The former British No 1 said: ‘It’s interesting what the US Open have said and we would always take notice of that.’
TIM HENMAN has hinted Wimbledon may end up giving Serena Williams a seeding for this year’s Championships when the decision is announced tomorrow.
The former British No 1 is a key member of the All England Club committee which deals with wildcards and will be an important part of today’s meeting to debate the Williams seeding issue.
While emphasising that he was talking as an individual and not pre-judging colleagues, Henman made reference to last week’s decision by the US Open to support players who have taken time off to give birth.
Katrina Adams, president of the US Tennis Association, told the
New York Times that the Open would ‘ revise the seedings if pregnancy is a factor in the current rankings of a player’.
That very much applies to seven-times SW19 champion Williams, presently ranked 183 as she works her way back after having her daughter last September.
Henman reflected: ‘It’s interesting what the US Open have said and we would always take notice of that.’ What is beyond dispute is that Williams (below) can enter the tournament on a protected ranking.
Henman also gave a rare insight into his thinking on such Wimbledon issues as whether Dan Evans should have had a wildcard and criticisms about the disparity of men’s matches being scheduled on the show courts compared to the women’s.
Research by novelist and tennis fan Mark Leyland has shown this as a long-term trend. For instance, between 2013 and 2017 there were 71 women’s matches on Centre and No 1 Court, compared to 109 played by men in the same period.
Henman, speaking yesterday during an HSBC wheelchair tennis coaching session with the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, said this was not official policy but the result of multiple factors. ‘There are three matches scheduled in the early rounds for Centre Court,’ he said. ‘You are taking into account television requests, the marquee matches, which matches the fans want to watch. It is not an easy decision.
‘There is definitely not a policy of two men’s and one women’s (match on show courts).’
He pointed out one factor is that, since the mid- Nineties, there have been three British men — himself, Greg Rusedski and Andy Murray — who have been more prominent than homegrown women. However, he hopes that will change. ‘It’s great when we can have some British women as part of the marquee matches, for instance Jo Konta versus Simona Halep was the highest TV rating match last year.’
With Evans now just two matches away from qualifying for the main draw after yesterday’s win, Henman stands by the decision not to give him a wildcard following his cocaine suspension.
‘Expressing a personal opinion, I’m a big Dan Evans fan,’ he said. ‘He was incredibly stupid but I think he has handled it since very well. It would be a great story if he can go all the way through from pre-qualifying.
‘You deserve a second chance but there are consequences to actions, and whether it’s endorsement deals or wildcards, you are going to lose out. ‘When you are out injured you get in through a protected ranking, but when you fail a drugs test it’s different. There are pretty significant messages to send out. It wasn’t difficult from my point of view.’ HSBC is the Official Banking Partner of The Championships and has supported the Wimbledon Foundation through ticket resale since 2008.