So there I was, trying to grab a quick decaf skinny latte with a shot of almond, in a brief break from my efforts to broadcast to the world on BBC World News, when who should I spy from a distance, but the lovely Tim Henman. Tiger Tim was at the Beeb to talk about his return to tennis with the Masters Tennis later this year and it reminded me how much we miss him. First off he is a hugely decent chap, a delight to interview and charming company away from the cameras. But from a tennis perspective, after the humiliation in Lithuania, his absence is more keenly felt than ever.

Seeing him made me ponder the life of a professional sports person. Whenever I get asked what I would have wanted to be, if I’d been talented enough, then it is always a tennis player. I would have loved to have played Wimbledon. Of course I would have crashed out first round to Kazakhstan’s number three in straight sets, but by God I would have enjoyed myself….. As regular readers of this blog will know, the Perranporth Grass Court Championships was the closest I ever got to SW19 and it still rankles.

Seeing British men’s tennis in such a parlous state is so sad. But if the LTA are struggling to find ways of seeking out future talent, well they can always draw on the inspiration of the organisers of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. Their solution to get people involved in tennis, is to just chuck celebrities at it. And not just any old flotsam and jetsam. No. Their brilliant idea to promote their event, was for Glam. Set. Match....... a mixed doubles exhibition match which paired Ana Ivanovic and Jay Sean against Novak Djokovic and Mel B. Yes indeed, I did say Mel B.

Now being a Spice Girl is a full-time job and so she had clearly never heard of Novak before, which is why she kept calling the World Number 3 Novik…… but that was a minor detail…….. Holding a tennis racquet also wasn’t top of her list of priorities in years gone by either, but no matter, Jay Sean could smell victory and was more than making up for it. I’m not entirely sure what the whole exercise achieved, but seeing as the LTA is so desperate, anything is worth a try isn’t it? So come on Wimbledon – rally the troops. Let’s have a celebrity face off on centre court on the first Monday of the Championships before we see defending champion Roger Federer. How about and Kate Moss and Lleyton Hewitt versus Chris Moyles and Jelena Jankovic….. Anyone for tennis? Or maybe not….. So chaps let's have ideas to promote tennis from you today and also what you would have liked to do, if you'd been a contender..... best one wins a prize....... actually no it doesn't, but that's not the point......