They have more to gain by beating Greg Rusedski now.You can start with Henman – he doesn’t want to be No 2 in England.”Ah Henman, a man McEnroe has always admired, but to whom he offers some advice from the heart. “I think Brian really settled him down and got him focused on the things he needed to do, really helped him as a player to go from 48 to the top 10.”For me it was a bit of a dilemma watching Greg, because personally I was really disappointed that he dropped Brian. Obviously it’s his decision, but I felt Brian deserved to see if he could take Greg to the next level. If Greg sincerely believes Tony Pickard is going to help him become a better player, then that’s his right, but I question whether that’s true at this point.”So how good does the former world No 1 think Rusedski can be? “It’s going to be tough for him to improve at this level,” he said. He is a good friend of Brian Teacher, the American who coached Rusedski for 17 months up to the US Open final but who was then discharged.

“John’s very articulate and opinionated, which makes for great television.”
McEnroe has proved a hit in Hannover, not just in the commentary box but also in the early-evening studio discussions with Guy Forget, Michael Stich and the presenter Heinz Gunthardt. While Gunthardt and Stich have been talking in German to appease viewers in the country which supplies Eurosport’s biggest advertising revenue, I have had the honour of acting as McEnroe’s interpreter and he has proved highly adept at jumping in with “I think Michael’s right when he says…” and other pronouncements that have made some viewers think he understands German.The powerful left-hander has also been passing judgement on another powerful left-hander, Greg Rusedski, who he watches with mixed feelings. When you’re a player you’re very into what you’re doing, whereas one thing I enjoy about the TV is that you’re part of a team.”

Mercer, who had no problem in the 1984 final (it lasted just 80 minutes) but who had his run-ins with McEnroe over the course of some 20 matches, also felt he was part of a team “It’s been great fun,” he said. “I think it’s fun for the younger boys to have someone like me to hit with. Every time I leave there I feel tired but uplifted, which is how it should be.”Barclay, a veteran of 40 years in the game who is best known for his work with Pat Cash, is delighted with the new addition to his team. “MY GOD, they’re given me an umpire!” exclaimed John McEnroe on arriving in Hannover to be told that his co-commentator on Eurosport would be David Mercer, the umpire who officiated in the 1984 Wimbledon final in which McEnroe destroyed Jimmy Connors “That’s ironic, but I guess what goes around comes around.

Using more slice and coaxing his ground strokes with more consistency he made Sapsford play more balls to achieve the break of serve which gave him a vital cushion at 5-3.Sapsford still managed to secure break back points in the final game of the second set and another crucial one, when Henman double faulted, in the penultimate game of the match.When that disappeared with a scorching Henman forehand taken from the backhand side Sapsford’s challenge was over.”It was an unusual day yesterday and one I’m grateful for,” said Henman, who says he will donate part of the pounds 100,000 Hannover prize money to a charity.Henman will play Chris Wilkinson in today’s final after he secured a 7-6 7-6 win against the second seed Andrew Richardson.. After what the sponsors and organisers had done to make my journey possible I didn’t want to lose.”Henman broke back immediately for 2-2 in the second set with two unusual points in a row – a forehand stop volley which took a lucky net cord and then a high backhand smash which went for a winner from a tenacious Sapsford lob.The world No 17 changed the pace of his game briefly but tellingly in the eighth game of the second set. The defending champion was clearly tired after his extraordinary exploits on Friday and needed an hour and 47 minutes to overcome Sapsford.
The British No 2 had flown to Hannover to face Russia’s Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the ATP World Championships after winning his quarter-final match against Jamie Delgado here and did not return until well after midnight.Sapsford, ranked 210 in the world, and seeded fourth, looked as though he might succeed where Kafelnikov, the world No 6, had failed and, at 4-6, 1-2, Henman had to dig deep.”I was not tired, physically as well as mentally, but Danny is an example to all youngsters of how to make the best of what you have,” Henman said.”I had to raise my game and I was pleased the way I did it. “I have taken the pressure of expectations, an unusual situation to me, and so in future I will know I can deal with it.” The confidence is coming back..