Tim Henman is a man in a hurry to make history.

That's how it looked last night as Henman became the first British man for 41 years to reach the semi-final of the French Open on a day of shocks and showers at Roland Garros.

Henman saved his most ruthless performance yet at this remarkable tournament for yesterday's quarter-final in which he dismantled the tennis game of so-called clay-court expert Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina in just one hour and 50 minutes to record a 6-2 6-4 6-4 victory.

On the way he overtook his grandfather Henry Billington, who reached the quarter-final here in 1939, and entered such august company as Sydney Jacob in 1929, Fred Perry in 1935 and 1936, Bunny Austin in 1935 and 1937 and Mike Sangster in 1963 - all Britons who have reached semi-finals here.

And now who is to say he will not go all the way on the red clay he used to hate and emulate Perry, who went on to win the title in 1935 and remains the only Briton to have done so?

How ironic that would be after all those years of hard labour on the green, green grass of home chasing his dream of lifting the famous gold trophy at Wimbledon.

But even though Henman now faces an even tougher test in Argentinian third seed Guillermo Coria in the semi-final the way he is playing no-one should bet against it.

Unlike his four previous opponents, who all inhabited the lower echelons of the world's top 100, Chela was number 22 seed here, the third-best player on clay this season and a dangerous opponent on his favourite surface.

But these days the new Henman, the one with the blistering groundstrokes, the solid serve, the wonderfully soft hands and the unshaven appearance, is a match for anyone in the world on any surface. And this was a mental triumph every bit as much as physical victory.

It had been the most frustrating of days. Henman had spent most of it waiting and wondering whether he would get on to Court Phillippe Chatrier as the showers sent players and spectators alike scurrying for cover at regular intervals.

Henman had emphasised beforehand how important it was to impress his aggressive, net-rushing style on the baseline-hugging Argentinian and the first point, in which he stole in behind an approach shot and dispatched the crispest of winning volleys, illustrated perfectly what he had in mind.

He broke that first Chela service game and reinforced the advantage in the seventh game when he broke again, his all-court style causing all sorts of problems for Chela.

Henman was required to save two break points in the eighth game but still managed to serve out to take the set in fine style.

It was a perfect example of the Henman 2004-style, capable of scraping out of games he looked like losing while winning most with the utmost conviction.

There was a focused look in his eyes and if his beard, or at least patchy stubble, gave him the look of a clay-courter of Latin extraction then it was the brilliance of his game which was proof that he has at last mastered the surface he used to hate.

The second set began in curious style with three successive breaks as both men sought to attack.

But again it was Henman who drove home the advantage, Henman speedier about the court and more precise with his groundstrokes, one ripping backhand down the line securing the third game.

Chela had few answers mainly because Henman's game these days carries menace from all directions.

He saved a break point on serve in the eighth game when his touch on a half-volley drop shot was exquisite. It proved decisive because he went on to hold serve thereon to take the set.

The most revealing thing about the final set was that Henman never looked in trouble, certainly not from the point he broke Chela's serve in the fifth game with a cross-court forehand of which Pete Sampras in his heyday would have been proud.