Waiting game for Henman

Henman is trying to make it three wins in three matches against Hrbaty.

If successful, he will face the winner of the quarter-final between world number one Roger Federer and home favourite Andre Agassi, which was also delayed by the weather. Federer led 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 when rain interrupted at deuce in the first game of the fourth set.

Henman's surprising march into the tournament's second week is all the more unexpected because of the bad back injury he suffered on the eve of his first round meeting with Ivo Karlovic.

But just as he shrugged off a debilitating illness to make the semi-finals at the French Open earlier in the year, Henman is for once facing up to adversity and beginning to thrive.

He lost the first four games against German Nicolas Kiefer in the fourth round but made a flying start against Hrbaty.

He won the first five games and looked confident and relaxed against the 22nd seed, who has won three tour tournaments this season.

Hrbaty won the sixth game to get off the mark, but Henman held his serve comfortably to close out the first set.

Henman was serving well when he had to and got himself out of trouble twice in the second set - coming from 0-30 down in the fourth and eighth games to restore parity.

Hrbaty's serve was far more erratic. In the seventh game he followed three unreturnable serves - including a 133mph ace - with three double faults.

A significant turning point came in the 10th game of the second set.

Henman was in real trouble at 4-5 but saved three set points and Hrbaty reacted to missing those chances - the first break points he had created against Henman's serve - by dropping his serve in the next game.

An exquisite backhand volley at full stretch helped create the opening for Henman, who completed the job with a crosscourt forehand.

There were a few nervous moments as Henman served for the second set. A weak shot into the net accounted for his first set point and he wasted the second with a double fault.

He did not waste his third chance, however, and moved to within one set of a place in the last four.