I dunno. The sooner Tim Henman gets knocked out of Wimbledon, the better. Currently two sets down against a vastly superior young Croatian, it might not be long. We won't have to put up with the perpetually grinning Sue Barker pretending that the whole country is 100% behind someone who ranks among the most tedious and uncharismatic sportmen of all time. So called Timothymania is still detectable on Centre Court, but really, their heart isn't in it. The face-painted inhabitants of Henman Hill want to be backing a winner. I don't think Ancic needs to do very much to get us all on his side. He should be out there, gesturing at the crowd, encouraging them to applaud when he hits an ace, getting them to slow handclap whenever he's approaching break point. In athletics, triple jumpers clap their hands above their heads before running into a sandpit, and this is all you have to do to be labelled “a character” by the commentators. Ancic could do a lot worse. We'd be firmly on his side by the end of the game, as Timothy's hair slowly starts to turn the light grey we associate with his skin, up the other end of the court.

But also, Ancic could do a lot better. May I suggest, for starters, cartwheels, card tricks, shadow puppets, impressions of Max Wall and a demonstration of perfect scrambled eggs, all between points. The crowd would lap it up. And we'd have a new national hero, even if he is Croatian.