For a man with a mystery illness, Tim Henman's tennis game looked in the rudest of health at the French Open yesterday.

Whatever the doctor ordered - and Henman did have an ECG which ruled out any heart problems after his five-set struggle in the first round against Cyril Saulnier, in which he experienced bouts of exhaustion - it worked as he dismantled Lars Burgsmuller 6-0 6-3 6-3 to take his place in the third round.

It took just an hour and 33 minutes and while Henman later maintained he still did not feel fully fit, as an exercise in mind over body it could not have been more successful.

Against Saulnier, Henman had almost drowned in waves of exhaustion. Against Burgsmuller, he dwelt only on the positives.

''I wouldn't say there's a great deal of change (in health) but I dealt with the scenario a lot better because in the first round, for the first two sets, all I worried about was the way I felt on court,'' said Henman.

''I still don't feel my best but I went on court much more focused on the way I wanted to play and not paying too much attention to my energy levels."

Next up is Spain's Galo Blanco, the Spaniard who Henman credits with firing his desire to master clay after a first-round defeat in Monte Carlo in 1998, but who Henman beat here two years ago.

Victory would take Henman into the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time.

That is incentive enough but with Andre Agassi's shock exit from his half of the draw the tantalising prospect of progress deep into the second week is a distinct possibility.

Just think what Henman might achieve if he ever gets fully fit.