Henin pulls a fast one - Vesnina beaten in 52 minutes

At the same moment, in SW19, nubile young ladies from all over Eastern Europe swarm on to the courts at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships.

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One of them has the onerous task of playing Justine Henin — the world No 1 and big favourite to win her first Wimbledon — who is slicing through women of all vowels and nationalities as if they are so much Bavarian sausage.

At this rate she will have a serious case of indigestion by the time she reaches the final next Saturday.

Elena Vesnina is devoured just as rapidly as Vera Dushevina and Jorgelina Cravero before her. Only an interruption for rain saves her from a midday exit, before most of the Wimbledon ticket-holders arrive. She is gone in 52 minutes.

This is not to belittle her efforts this week. Miss Vesnina made it to the third round of the singles. This is more than can be said for any British woman or man, Tim Henman included. To put this into even more humiliating context, she is ranked 13th among the 18 Russian girls in the draw. Naturally, she qualified as of right.

The 13th ranked home girl, whoever she may be, was not one of our five starters here, all of whom had to be granted wild cards. Nor was she among the six who took part in the pre-qualifying tournament — all of whom needed to be wangled entry for that event also — and, wouldn't you know it, failed to make it as far as these hallowed lawns.

If she were a British tennis player, Vesnina would be a red-top heroine. As a standard bearer for the red invasion of suburban London, she earned the scowling disapproval of her coaches for her failure to live with the finest woman in the west.

As one of the numerous Ovas, Enkos, Evas and Adzes who now own two-week time-shares at Wimbledon, she became a vital statistic in the debate about whether the fairer sex are earning their equal pay.

By occupying Henin for the eight minutes less than an hour it took her to lose 6-1, 6-3, Vesnina exposed the sisterhood to some weighty comparisons.

Henin's progress to the fourth round has engaged her in just two hours and 48 minutes playing time. It takes longer than that each morning to replace the roller towels in all the lavatories.

Henman's two five-set epics — victory over Carlos Moya, then second-round defeat by Feliciano Lopez — lasted an exhausting total of seven hours and 33 minutes spread over four of the first five days.

Our Tim took home £16,325. Belgium's Justine is already guaranteed £47,250 and will bank £700,000 if she wins the championship, as will Roger Federer if he lifts his fifth successive Wimbledon title.

You work out the hourly, daily or weekly rate. Is she worth it?

Not according to trades union pay-scales, maybe. But we do not go on to the factory floor, into the typing pool or behind the scenes at a battery farm to watch human excellence at work.

How much would we pay to see a British sprinter win the Olympic 100m at London 2012 in under 10 seconds, or Ricky Hatton knock out Oscar De La Hoya in the first round?

The weeks, months and years of unrelenting toil which go into the making of a champion are largely unseen. Take it from one who has watched Miss Henin pound her slight body late into the long shadows of morning to evening training, she earns every penny of her fortune as well as every moment of her fame.

Court Two — with its exposure not only to summer's capricious breezes but to the chattering classes on the tea terrace above — has a fearsome reputation as the graveyard of champions. Henin transformed it into a showcase for her genius. As she put it afterwards: 'My frustration is that I would have loved to sing well but I'm lucky that I was born with this talent to play tennis.' So are those who watch, however brief she keeps the occasion.

Vesnina was subjected to the full repertoire of a 25-year-old feline more finely attuned to Wimbledon grass now than when she lost last year's final to Amelie Mauresmo. Yesterday's blistering experience was climaxed by the most divine backhand currently operating in the men's or women's game.

Henin would be delighted to wear this crown, since it would complete her full set of Grand Slams — but it is not her obsession. Forgive her, because her tennis heart belongs to Paris, where her late mother first took her to excite her ambition.

As for this middle weekend of Wimbledon, her rapier efficiency has earned her not only more prize money but a helpful rest.

Little Miss Henin will need it before duelling with Serena Williams and the rest of the boomer brigade next week.