Tim Henman wrecked Andre Agassi's comeback with a 6-4 6-4 win in the first round of the Queen's Club tournament on Monday.

The 36-year-old American has suffered back problems for a number of years and chose to skip the ATP claycourt season to conserve energy for his grasscourt campaign.

However, the 12th seed's bid to get match fit for a second tilt at the Wimbledon title suffered a setback when he was outclassed by the British favourite on a hot and sultry day in London.

Having been out of action for three months, Agassi would not have wanted his first match to be against a serve-and-volleyer who thrives on the slick surface.

But with four-times Wimbledon semi-finalist Henman arriving at the tournament as an unseeded player for the first time in a decade, Agassi was drawn to play the one opponent he would like to have avoided in the opening round.

The Briton, whose ranking has plummeted to 76th, quickly buried memories of his miserable run on clay.

Time and again he left Agassi flat-footed at the baseline with his acute angled volleys and scorching winners.

After trading breaks early in the opening set, Henman suffocated the Las Vegan in the seventh game with his attacking tactics from the net.

That break proved decisive and the 31-year-old sealed the set with a blazing forehand winner.

Any hopes of an Agassi recovery were quickly quashed when Henman broke the American's serve in the opening game of the second set.

After being given the run around for 74 minutes, the eight-times grand slam champion slipped on match point and ended up flat on his back across the baseline as Henman's match-winning shot whizzed past his gleaming pate.

French Open winner Rafael Nadal make his debut at the tournament later in the week along with three times defending champion Andy Roddick and Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who has also triumphed three times at the west London club.

The top eight seeds have a bye into the second round.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP