The Hamm Bennett

Reports of Hamm Bennett matches can be found here:

2006 - Hamm Bennett 2006 Match Report

2007 - Hamm Bennett 2007 Match Report

2009 - Hamm Bennett 2009 Match Report

2010 - Hamm Bennett 2010 Match Report

Picking a 'best ever' Hamm Bennett is rather like picking a favourite flower from a field of the most beautiful lillies. But the Hamm Bennett 2006 was surely amongst the most full-blossomed and delicately graceful flowers ever to grow in the field of tennis.

The day began early for the multitude of fans, officials, organisers and players with a testing 10.00am start scehduled at Greenwich Park, which was hosting the event for the second time.

The tournament officials, based in London's fashionable Kennington, arrived in Greenwich for about 9.00am, by which time both players were already present, and ready to engage in the pre-match breakfast. As soon as the sausage sandwiches - and how much of a part were they to play in the events that were shortly to unfold - had been consumed it was time to leave the glamourous WAGs (well W) behind and head to battle.

But before the match could even begin there was controversy. The Hamm Bennett, normally such a masterclass in organisational precision, was delayed following a terrible mix-up with the event's Greenwich Park hosts. Was this all part of a highly developed mind-game from one of the players - a subtle ploy to throw the opponent off their game? Perhaps we will never know, but such tactics have been used in the past - and to great effect. Who can forget the circuitous uphill route to the court planned by Bennett in 2005 that so spectacularly undid Hamm's meticulous preparations?

On this occasion an hours delay to proceedings was the result, and neither competitor seemed overy phased. It did afford the players and officials time to acclimatise to the fierce heat and get some last minute practice before the main event.

Eventually, the match began, and there were no signs of early nerves from Hamm as he raced to an early lead. Bennett simply had no answer to a devastating barrage of forehand drives and viciously sliced backhands, combined with a blistering first-serve. Within minutes Hamm was in a commanding position and Bennett, normally so assured on court, was looking rattled.

As the set went on Bennett began to regain some form, and one or two errors began to creep into the Hamm performance. But by this stage the set was secure, and Hamm went on to claim it 6 - 2.

Followers of the Hamm Bennett will know however that winning the first set can be more of a curse than a blessing. The winner of the first set frequently then succumbs to humiliating defeat, and that knowledge seemed to spur Bennett on to an extra effort, whilst Hamm increasingly seemed to carry the weight of expectation on his shoulders.

After only a few games it was clear that Bennett had found his feet in the second set. He looked calm and relaxed on court, playing with a fluency that had been lacking in earlier games. Time after time Hamm would probe for an opening, but Bennett would shut the door - blasting yet another forehand winner, or forcing an error from his opponent with a beautifully weighted backhand.

The game was delicately poised, but Bennett always had the upper-hand, and after a gruelling set, where the weather and the over-heavy sausage sandwiches consumed at breakfast began to take their toll on both men, he wrapped up a 6 - 4 set, to level the match at 1 - 1.

Few would have dared a bet on the outcome now. Bennett had the momentum, and Hamm must have been worried about becoming yet another first-set winner ending up as the loser. But the omens were not all with Bennett. Hamm's record in even numbered years is considerably better than Bennett's -he leads 7 - 2 on that score. In 2007 Bennett will no doubt fancy his chances with a 4 - 1 lead in odd-numbered years.

There was nothing to choose between the two competitors. Neither one seemed to be flagging in the heat, neither one seemed to let the pressure get to them. Game after game went to deuce, and was eventually taken by one or the other player by the narrowest of margin or the tightest of line calls. Each point seemed to last an eternity with neither man willing to give an inch - it was an irresistible force meeting an immovable object.

The quality of the tennis has surely never been higher than in this final set, that lasted for well over an hour.

Hamm had one chance to wrap up a 7 - 5 victory, but it was quickly snuffed out, as Bennett pressed for his own chance. As Hamm won through yet another tight game to go 8 - 7 up there was a sense that surely, at some point, something had to give. Both players steeled themselves for the final heroic effort, but it was Hamm who suddenly cut loose with some sensational attacking tennis to earn himself championship point again. Bennett battled, but finally, after nearly three hours on court, Hamm ground out the win and took the final set 9 - 7.

It was a game of epic quality, and it was painful that one man had to lose. As Virginia Woolf once said: "The beauty of the world, which is so soon to perish, has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder."

So the Hamm Bennett could not exist without a winner and a loser, without the epic struggle - without the beuaty and the horror, the anguish and the laughter.

In each case, I leave you to guess which noun applies to which player.

Final result:

Hamm bt. Bennett, 6 - 2, 4 - 6, 9 - 7

From various Newswires:

The allegations of widespread steroid abuse in the Hamm Bennett will be thoroughly investigated, according to official sources.

Whilst a spokesperson for the Hamm Bennett Umpire refused to comment on the allegations, sources close to the tournament's organising committee said that the story was being taken seriously.

"We've seen two ordinary men producing extraordinary feats out there - we're certainly not ruling anything out at this stage. All I can say is that some of the things that happened out on court were not natural, and we need an explanation."

It is unclear what options remain open to officials, but the most likely outcome of a positive test would be a fine of around £2million handed out by the event's governing body.

After his epic 2-6, 6-4, 7-9 defeat, Tim Bennett refused to be downbeat: "All credit to Dan, he was the better player on the day" said Bennett. "On a different day, at a different time, the result would have been different. It's a massive question of 'what ifs', 'herebutfors' and 'hithertos'."

Asked why his hard-hitting baseline rhythm took a set and a half to discover, Bennett jovially blamed his breakfast: "I had some 'Hamm' for breakfast but not in the way I would have preferred. Next year I'll stick to the corn flakes" he joked.

Almost ten days after the event, Bennett's refusal to take part in a joint lap of honour remains highly controversial. "Let's just say I don't celebrate other people's success especially when serve-enhancing substances may have been involved" he commented.

For many years Hamm and Bennett, two great titans of the tennis world, have been battling it out for the title of Hamm Bennett Champion. There are no losers in the Hamm Bennett, but more accurately, there are. So here it is - the great history of one of sports most enduring competitions.

The Roll of Honour

1990 Bennett
1992 Hamm
1994 Hamm
1996 Bennett
1997 Bennett
1998 Hamm
1999 Hamm
2000 Hamm
2001 Bennett
2002 Hamm
2003 Bennett
2004 Hamm
2005 Bennett
2006 Hamm (Greenwich Park, Greenwich)
2007 Hamm (Maryon Park, Charlton)
2008 Hamm (Greenwich Park, Greenwich)
2009 Hamm (Greenwich Park, Greenwich)
2010 Bennett (Charlton Park, Charlton)

Highlights from HB '06