Henman cruises into second round
Tim Henman cruised into the second round of the Australian Open in Melbourne with a straight-sets victory over Hicham Arazi.
Henman had an unexpectedly early call into action on to the new Vodafone Arena when American Brie Rippner injured her ankle after the opening game against fourth seed Monica Seles and was forced to retire.
Henman ran out a 7-6 6-4 6-4 winner after two hours 39 minutes.
He won the first set on a tie-break after Arazi had saved six set-points. The set lasted 70 minutes, Henman being broken in third and the seventh games, but breaking back immediately both times.
Arazi saved one set-point at 4-5, three more after finding himself 0-40 down at 5-6, but - after Henman had squandered two more on Arazi's serve at 6-3 in the tie-break - a service winner put him a set to the good.
Henman needed only one chance to take the second set, breaking in the fifth game and winning it 6-4 when Arazi returned into the net and threw his racket on the ground in disgust.
It was not the first sign of frustration from the world number 30. He also did it twice in losing his serve and was given a code violation warning.
Henman twice had to save a break-point early in the third set, but once he broke the Moroccan again in the seventh game it was plain sailing.
