ANOTHER Wimbledon has come and gone and still there is no British men's champion to prevent us from having to hark back to 1936 and the year of Fred Perry.

In a year in which the seeds were buried, Australian Lleyton Hewitt came through as a player who has the ability to dominate and become another multiple Wimbledon champion, like Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras.

For all Tim Henman tried - and try he undeniably did - time is starting to run out if he is ever to achieve the dream he shares with so many British sports fans.

Like the England football team before him in the World Cup finals, he flattered to deceive - raised our hopes only to miss out again.

So what progress is being made in the search for a Briton who can go all the way at this sporting event which holds such a cherished place in our hearts?

We are told that the elitism which has blocked the route to success is gradually being eaten away.

Tennis, we are assured, is no longer a game confined to those who can afford coaching fees and other associated costs.

But take a town like Darlington in the heart of our region. Yesterday, the day of the men's final at Wimbledon, those who were inspired to play a set or two turned up at the town's main park, South Park, to discover rundown courts with no nets. Would-be players turned up with their racquets, only to turn round and go home again.

Granted, plans are in place to use National Lottery money to restore the park to its former glory, but for the sake of a few nets, the opportunity to capitalise on the interest Wimbledon generates annually has been lost for another year.

We can continue to pile the burden of responsibility for winning Wimbledon on poor Tim Henman's shoulders.

But until our towns provide adequate facilities for youngsters to play when their interest has been stirred, it will be a long, long time before we know what it's like to cheer a Wimbledon champion.