Oxfordshire's former British No 1 Tim Henman admits he's not missing the game at all and is enjoying retirement - doing the simple things he never had a chance to.

After 14 consecutive years of carrying Britain's hopes at Wimbledon, Henman, 33, will be at the All England Club next week as part of the BBC's commentary team.

He joins their team of experts - Sue Barker, John Inverdale and John McEnroe - and hopes his commentating - which he describes as "generally talking rubbish while it's raining" - will show the world a different side to his personality.

"I want to try to give the viewers something they wouldn't otherwise know.

"No-one knew the real me. When I'm working in front of the camera, you'll see me in a different light. People will be surprised to learn that I've got a sense of humour."

Henman, who lives at Aston Tirrold, near Didcot, is keen to throw off a reputation for being dull.

He started well, almost causing a diplomatic incident on the eve of Wimbledon, by claiming players from the Czech Republic were smelly.

Asked if there was any gossip he could reveal from the locker rooms, Henman said Czech players were "a bit niffy", adding that the problem was compounded by the size of the changing rooms at the All England Club which he described as "too small".

Henman, who retired last September, admitted he has played the game, which had previously dominated his life, only three times in the last eight months.

"I never envisaged how much I'd enjoy just being at home with the kids, playing loads of golf.

"My life on the tour was very structured. All of a sudden I get to fill my own diary, and it's just a revelation getting to do trivial things like the school run or waking up in my own bed - I am so busy just doing nothing.

"I've picked up a tennis racket literally three times in eight months. I've realised I've hit enough tennis balls to last me a lifetime."

But the four-times Wimbledon semi-finalist admits to missing some aspects of the professional game.

"You spend 90 per cent of your time practising with these guys because no-one else is good enough. You stay in the same hotel, so you become buddies - and I miss that."