Outrage as Henman describes Czech tennis players as 'bit niffy'

Henman, 33, who quit the professional game last September, said the problem was compounded by the size of the changing rooms at the All England Lawn Tennis Club which he described as ‘too small’.

His comments are unlikely to win him any favours with the nation’s stars Jan Vacek, Petr Korda and their contender for this year, Radek Stepanek.

No stranger to controversy: Tim Henman also once described women players as 'greedy' for wanting equal pay to men

His comments, made during an interview with the Radio Times, sparked a cutting response from the Czech Republic’s ambassador in London, Jan Winkler.

His spokesman said:  ‘What a surprise that Tim Henman should have had the time when he was competing in a tournament as demanding as Wimbledon to do so much research into the smell of the male body.’

The former British number one – who joins the BBC’s team of experts Sue Barker, John Inverdale and John McEnroe for the 120th tournament - spoke less controversially about life after tennis.

He said he had only played the game, which previously dominated his life, three times in the last eight months.

‘I never envisaged how much I'd enjoy just being at home with the kids, playing loads of golf,’ he added.

‘My life on the tour was very structured. All of a sudden I get to fill my own diary, and it's just a revelation getting to do trivial things like the school run or waking up in my own bed – I am so busy just doing nothing.

‘I've picked up a tennis racquet literally three times in eight months. I've realised I've hit enough tennis balls to last me a lifetime.’

Having said that, the former Oxford graduate – who at his height was ranked fourth in the world - admits to missing certain aspects of the professional game.

‘You spend 90 per cent of your time practicing with these guys because no-one else is good enough. You stay in the same hotel, so you become buddies –and I miss that.’

Henman, married to wife Lucy for eight years, is keen to throw off a reputation for being dull.

He hopes his commentating – which he describes as ‘generally talking rubbish while it’s raining’ – will show the world a different side to his personality.

‘I want to try to give the viewers something they wouldn’t otherwise know.

‘No-one really knew the real me. When I'm working in front of the camera, you'll see me in a different light.

'People will be surprised to learn that I've got a sense of humour.

As for Britain’s current Number 1, Andy Murray, his predecessor said optimistically: ‘I do think one day he could win Wimbledon.’

• Veteran BBC commentator Julian Tutt caused a furore at Wimbledon in 1999 after he said that the young Australian player Jelena Dokic was staying in a 'cheap bordello' - another name for a brothel. The BBC immediately apologised for Tutt's comments.