Henman holds nerve to beat Moya in epic

By Martyn Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - Tim Henman survived a battle of wills at Wimbledon on Tuesday, completing an epic 6-3 1-6 5-7 6-2 13-11 victory over Spain's Carlos Moya.

The 32-year-old former golden boy of British tennis and four-times semi-finalist here rolled back the years to win a gripping contest that had resumed at 5-5 in the decider after bad light stopped play on Monday.

Moya, the 25th seed, had staved off four match points on Monday after himself leading 4-2 in the decider but he finally cracked, serving a double fault to end a match that lasted three hours 41 minutes.

The final set alone spanned nearly two hours.

"I think it sort of speaks volumes the way that we both came out and really continued where we left off," Henman, who had managed just two Tour wins this year, told reporters.

"It's been well documented that my form hasn't been good coming in. But this place is so special to me. I've had so many experiences here over the years. I always believe that good things are going to happen."

Henman's barren spell meant he slipped to 74th in the rankings but he showed against Moya that he was still one of the world's best exponents of grasscourt tennis.

Both men played superb tennis in the 14 games on Tuesday. Drop volleys, angled passes and subtle approaches were a delight for the traditionalists who often lament the lack of touch and finesse in modern tennis.