"He could be a programmer for the BBC. He does an excellent job," McEnroe said of Britain's number one tennis player.

Becker was impressed at Henman being such a big attraction that the Britain's national broadcaster shifted its top soap opera, EastEnders.

"I know that we kicked off EastEnders and I didn't know until last night how important East-Enders was to English television viewers," said the Wimbledon champion turned TV commentator.

ANDY RECALLING PAST
Andy Roddick may flit from luxury hotel to luxury hotel in his glamorous life as a millionaire tennis player but he was once prepared to slum it to experience the other side of Wimbledon.

Recalling his first visit to the All England Club as a teenage hopeful, Roddick said he joined fans in a tent who were queuing overnight to get tickets.

"I just kind of wanted to do the whole atmosphere of it. They were a lot more intoxicated than I expected. I guess that made it easier to fit in the tent," he said.

"I could go somewhat unrecognised, you know, the random person. I just kind of wanted to feel what was going on. People have the little barbecues. It was cool. It was a good experience."

FEDERER, RODDICK SERENA'S CHOICES
Twice Wimbledon champion Serena Williams would be prepared to shell out good money to see Roger Federer and Andy Roddick.

Asked who she would pay to see, Serena said: "Yeah. I would definitely want to watch Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. I mean, Roger is just like unbelievable. His game is so smooth.

"And Andy's really exciting to watch. He's, you know, really fun. I like his antics."

UNHAPPY PUNDITS
TV pundits have complained that women's tennis is proving to be a yawn at Wimbledon 2004 with only one of the fourth round matches even going to a third set.

"There's not a great deal of depth," complained Australia's former Wimbledon champion John Newcombe. "In the first week, Blind Freddie can see that the tournament is held up by the men."

Former Wimbledon champion Michael Stich caused the biggest stir when he said a bloodless first round victory by 47-year-old Martina Navratilova was a terrible reflection on women's tennis. Navratilova haughtily dismissed him as a "one-Slam wonder".

Former Australian David Cup player Peter McNamara agreed that with the top two in the world, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, absent through injury there was not much depth to the women's draw.

"Without the Belgians, the women's event does look a bit thin," he said.