TIM Henman acknowledged that he needed to step up his game significantly against Australian Pat Rafter today if he was to make the same impact at Wimbledon that he hopes England can make at France 98.

The Oxford star matched the footballers he greatly admires by getting through the tournament's first phase - after playing well only in fits and starts against Zimbabwe's Byron Black on Centre Court on Saturday.

And, just as Argentina will almost certainly prove a much tougher hurdle for Glenn Hoddle's boys than were Colombia last time out, Henman expects his clash with US Open winner Rafter to be a whole new ball game compared with his march through the first three rounds.

"Rafter's a good serve and volleyer and if I get any break points I have got to take those opportunities sooner than I did against Byron," Henman said after Saturday's 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory.

"Rafter's style of play means it's going to be a different match. I've played three guys so far who have spent quite a lot of time on the baseline and I don't find that particularly easy. The standard of the return has got better each match."

Henman managed to watch the bulk of England's World Cup win over Colombia after rain interrupted his tussle with Black on Friday evening.

"It was a great result, great performance, I think. They were under pressure and needed to come up with a good performance and, with the little I know about football, played really well. "We're both through to the last 16 and are looking to go further," he declared.

Resuming at a set and a break up overnight, Henman looked as though he could finish Black off in straight sets as he maintained his attack and closed out the second set.

But, as his loyal supporters know only too well, Henman seldom gives them an easy ride.

He lost his intensity as Black fought back to take the third set and the fourth looked to be slipping away as well until the crowd realised how much of a part they could play and lifted him back to his previous heights.

The British No 2 got the benefit of a controversial line call to make it 5-5 and suddenly switched tactics, chipping and charging on Black's serve and intimidating his opponent by standing nearly two yards inside the baseline to receive.

Black admitted "He realised the pressure was on me and played smart when he had to at the end."

Black later took a swipe at the apparent favouritism shown by Wimbledon officials which has led to Henman playing everytime on Centre or No 1 Court.

"It's giving him a bit of an edge. He's getting an awful lot of time on Centre Court which is going to help him," Black said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.