Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski are widely regarded as two of the best male tennis players in British history.
Henman, the former world number four, is a Masters 1000 champion who reached multiple Wimbledon semi-finals.
Henman, a grass-court specialist, is one of the most successful British players of all time, winning $11,635,542 in prize money.
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As for Greg Rusedski, the Canadian-British star also achieved a career-high of world number four and reached one Grand Slam final at the 1997 US Open.
Henman, the younger of the pair, has discussed how Rusedski’s career impacted his own.
Tim Henman says Greg Rusedski had a ‘very positive’ influence on his own career
Speaking on the Off Court with Greg podcast, Henman discussed the rivalry he had with Rusedski.
He said: “When you reflect, I probably slightly surprised you and myself overtaking you in 1996 and then the way that you played in 1997, being in the quarters of Wimbledon and making the final of the US Open and breaking the top 10.
“It was like wow, this is game on. We were playing well and moving up the rankings.
“You then reflect over the next five years and that’s where to have us in the top 10 and top 20 for a long period of time was good for us both.
“There was healthy competition. We had our bumps along the road, but that’s inevitable in an individual sport when you are competing.
“But you definitely had a big influence on my career and it was a very positive one.”
Henman dominated his matchup against Rusedski, winning eight of their 10 matches on the ATP Tour.
The pair contested their last match at the 2006 US Open. In the first round, Henman defeated Rusedski 7-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Their first ever match was played out 10 years earlier at the 1996 Ostrava Open. Henman again won the contest, 7-6, 7-5.
Henman and Rusedski’s head-to-head… [data from ATP Tour]
| Year | Winner | Event | Round | Surface | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Tim Henman | US Open | Round of 128 | Outdoor Hard | 7-6 6-2 6-3 |
| 2005 | Tim Henman | ATP Masters 1000 Hamburg | Round of 32 | Outdoor Clay | 7-6 6-4 |
| 2005 | Tim Henman | Dubai | Round of 32 | Outdoor Hard | 4-6 7-6 6-4 |
| 2002 | Tim Henman | Australian Open | Round of 32 | Outdoor Hard | 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-3 |
| 2002 | Tim Henman | Adelaide | Quarterfinal | Outdoor Hard | 6-4 6-4 |
| 2001 | Tim Henman | Adelaide | Round of 32 | Outdoor Hard | 6-2 7-6 |
| 1999 | Tim Henman | ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells | Round of 16 | Outdoor Hard | 6-4 2-6 6-4 |
| 1998 | Greg Rusedski | ATP Tour World Championship | Round Robin | Indoor Hard | 6-2 6-4 |
| 1997 | Greg Rusedski | Vienna | Semifinal | Indoor Carpet | 64 64 |
| 1996 | Tim Henman | Ostrava | Round of 16 | Indoor Carpet | 7-6 7-5 |
Henman and Rusedski’s last match
Rusedski was hampered throughout his final contest against Henman at the 2006 US Open due to a hip injury.
The long-term issue was threatening to cut Rusedski’s career short, with surgery being considered as a potential option.
After beating Rusedski in New York, Henman said it would be sad to wave his compatriot goodbye.
“Yeah, it is [sad]. You know, we’ve been linked for such a long time,” said Henman.
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“You know, I wouldn’t I wouldn’t say that we’ve been best of friends, but I wouldn’t say we’ve been enemies. I think that’s something that was probably a little bit, you know, built up for the rivalry.
“Yeah, I think we’ve impacted each other’s careers in a big, big way. I think for the big part for the better. I think we’ve definitely improved each other. We’ve strived to be better than each other. I think that’s where we’ve played a big part in each other’s careers.
“If he wasn’t able to continue, then, yeah, it would be strange to be playing tournaments without him. “
