If Tim Henman fails to win Britain an Olympic tennis medal in Sydney, it will not be for a lack of perspiration.

The British number one arrived in Sydney on Thursday as the sun was coming up over the Opera House.

But only a few hours later he was out on the Olympic tennis centre's centre court, sweating out his jet-lag with an hour of lusty hitting with Belarus' powerful doubles specialist Max Mirnyi.

Despite a disappointing third round exit from the US Open last week, Henman has arrived in Sydney relaxed and confident after his best summer yet on North America's hard courts.

As well as beating Pete Sampras for the first time, Henman reached the final of the Masters series tournament in Cincinnati and a semi-final the following week in Indianapolis, where he lost to Marat Safin, the Russian who went on to lift the US Open title.

"After New York I went back home for a few days and we just arrived this morning," he said. "I'm still feeling pretty spaced out but it is best to get straight into it."

Henman's doubles silver with Neil Broad four years ago in Atlanta was a rare highlight in an otherwise disappointing Games for Britain.

The Englishman was bitterly disappointed with his own performance in the singles, where he lost in the second round to Australia's Todd Woodbridge.

This time around he will be playing only singles and is clearly optimistic about his chances of claiming another medal for Britain.

"I've certainly got no complaints about my game at the moment. I feel like I am playing really well and the surface (hardcourt/Rebound Ace) is one which suits me.

"I won my first tour title in Sydney, not actually here but at White City, so I've got a lot of good memories."

Henman, who has struggled at times in the past with the disabling heat of an Australian summer, was also delighted to be greeted on his arrival by blue skies, a comfortable low-20s (low 70s) temperature and the absence of any wind to speak of.

"It's not nearly as hot as it usually is when we are down here. The conditions are pretty good."

Despite lifting his all-round game to a new level, his second serve, the shot most prone to be blown off course in gusty conditions, has let him down at crucial moments all season, most notably in the five-set loss to Dutchman Richard Krajicek that ended his US Open campaign.

Unlike Spain's Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, who has opted to stay in a private house rather than the Olympic village for fear of distraction, the 26-year-old Henman revels in the hustle and bustle created by thousands of athletes from the four corners of the globe.

"The facilities here are good," he said. "There is much more space than there was at Atlanta and I always enjoy the atmosphere and the camaraderie."

Sampras' decision not to travel to Sydney and the withdrawal of Andre Agassi, the defending champion who has decided to stay with his mother and sister as they both battle breast cancer, means Henman will go into tomorrow's draw at the Sydney Opera House seeded eighth.

Safin, who will arrive late in Sydney after honouring a commitment to play in the President's Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan this week, is seeded to meet Brazil's French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten in the final.

"Obviously they start as favourites," said Henman, who beat Kuerten on his way to the final in Cincinnati. "They are top of the race this year but in this type of event there are no easy ones. Anyone is capable of causing an upset."

Safin, who played his first match in Tashkent just three days after blowing away Sampras in the US Open final in New York, is likely to arrive here fairly jaded.

But Henman insisted it would be folly to write off the Russian.

"If you could predict the future it would be pretty easy to make your schedule.

"Ideally, if you win one tournament you wouldn't play the next week. But I'm sure he is full of confidence and will just want to keep it going."

Henman, who has won the Tashkent event twice in the past, decided not to make the trip to Uzbekistan in order to concentrate fully on his Olympic preparations.

"I've won there a couple of times but I had played enough in the States and I wanted to get here and give myself the best chance.

"Playing for your country in an Olympics has got to be a pinnacle in any person's career and tennis is a pretty new sport so I'm just really lucky and grateful to have that opportunity."

AFP