The End Of Henmania

[poliphilo]

Poor old Tim Henman got trashed by Roger Federer in the second round at Wimbledon. Henman is a very good tennis player who has never quite managed the step up into greatness. He is also very handsome (in a Tony Blair's fitter younger brother kind of way). The fans and the media have pressured him and pressured him, as the only decent British player, to carry the flag up to the summit,  then mocked him bitterly every time he has fallen short.  He has done his stoical best, but the hope that he will one day win Wimbledon has finally died. 

Do other nations treat their sports stars with such cruelty?