Former British number one tennis legend Tim Henman reckons the world’s tennis stars don’t simply pay lip service to the Wimbledon Championships - it really is the one they want to win the most.

The 35-year-old former Barnes resident returns to SW19 with the BBC for the third time this summer as a commentator having retired fropm the game in 2007.

The next two weeks will see a succession of the game’s modern greats tell the world Wimbledon - and centre court in particular - is THE place to play tennis.

And Henman, who still has a soft spot for Henman Hill, insists it is not simply for effect.

“The committee’s ethos is this is the biggest, best and most important tournament in the world and we’re going ot keep it like that,” he said.

“They never stand still. There is the history and traditions, but they are completely up to speed with all the technology.

“Eighy or eighty-five per cent of players will say that if they could win one tournament it would be Wimbledon.

“That is for the history and the tradition. It is just class.”

Henman graced the famous turf in SW19 for 14 years, reaching the semi-finals on four occasions - as stage current british number one Andy Murray has reached once in four attempts so far.

But he says he never tires of returning.

“This is the best. I was lucky enough to come here first when I was six-years-old and for whatever reason I accepted it was the mecca of tennis,” he added.

“Every time I come here whether that be in December or the first week of June, it doesn’t get any better than this.

“It is the biggest and best tournament in the world and I have so many good memories.”

Seventy-five children from all over the UK got the chance to meet British tennis legend, Tim Henman at Wimbledon earlier this month as they took part in the 'Robinsons 75 Kids for 75 Years' Wimbledon Tennis Camp.