Tennis-Henman enjoys another grasscourt stroll

LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) Tim Henman strolled into the quarter-finals of the Stella Artois Championships today with a 6-3 6-4 victory over France's Nicolas Mahut.

The 31-year-old Briton, three-times a runner-up at the pre-Wimbledon grasscourt event, comfortably beat Andre Agassi in the first round and controlled his match against Mahut from the start.

''I'm very happy with the way I'm serving,'' said the four-times Wimbledon semi-finalist. ''I feel I'm getting a bit more bite on the ball and a bit more movement. I'm feeling strong.'' Henman will need his best tennis in the quarter-finals, where he will play jinx opponent Russian Dmitry Tursunov, if the Russian overcomes Taiwan's Yeu-Tzuoo Wang later today.

Hard-hitting Tursunov knocked Henman out of last year's Wimbledon and both the Australian Open and French Open this year.

Australian Mark Philippoussis, the 1997 champion, was knocked out 6-2 3-6 6-3 by Chilean Fernando Gonzalez.

Later French Open champion Rafael Nadal seeks his second win of the grasscourt season against fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.

Defending champion Andy Roddick faces Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan for the right to face Gonzalez. Lleyton Hewitt and Ivan Ljubicic are also in third round action.

REUTERS AY VV1945