Tim Henman has revealed he will “call it a day” if his form and fitness do not improve this year.
The long-standing British number one will be deposed by rising star Andy Murray tomorrow after suffering wildly contrasting fortunes to the Scottish teenager in 2005.
“Call it unfinished business, if you like, but I need to know, once and for all, whether my body and mind will let me play on. If they do, I've got two or three years left. If they don't, then I'll be calling it a day.”
Expectation has dogged the 31-year-old's career, particularly at Wimbledon each year, and Henman admits the prospect of finally winning English tennis' showpiece tournament is now fading and admitted “maybe I just wasn't good enough”.
“If I never end up winning Wimbledon, I'm going to be very, very disappointed,” he told the Mail on Sunday. “Let's be honest, it's looking increasingly unlikely now isn't it? This year, for example, for the first time in nearly 10, nobody will be thinking I'm a contender.
“It's taken me a long time to understand it but when people ask why I haven't won Wimbledon, the truth may be something none of us will be happy about. Maybe I just wasn't good enough. Maybe reaching the semi-finals and getting to fourth-best in the world rankings was as good as it gets for me. Maybe we all just have to accept this.”
Injury spoiled last year for Henman as he showed signs of psychological tiredness as well as physical and the Oxford star said if things do not improve this year - and they have not so far - he will retire.
“It's not a decision I have to make now but I've set myself targets and if I don't reach them then, come the end of the year, I'll be saying: `Thanks very much, I'm getting out of here’. I've got to be enjoying my tennis again and, for that to happen, my back's got to hold up and I've got to get back into the top 20. I need that as a minimum.
“I'm 31, I've got two daughters and a wife, which means that anything over three weeks away from home makes it miserable for me. And my body's falling apart. If it doesn't go to plan this year and I realise that I can't achieve the goals I've set for myself, then I'll stop,” he said. “I guess that would make it my last Wimbledon.”
