Tim Henman appeared no nearer to solving the mysteries of red clay yesterday when he lost 6-2, 6-4 in the first round of the Monte Carlo Open to the Spaniard Galo Blanco, a diminutive right-hander who nevertheless cast a Promethean shadow over the British number two.

There were extenuating circumstances: Henman played last week in Tokyo on hard court, so had had only a short time to adjust to a new surface and slough off his jet lag.

Nevertheless this was a poor, error-ridden display, when once again Henman's whole game suffered because his first serve refused to function until far too late.

"I've got to serve consistently," he said afterwards, which is true of any surface but doubly so of clay, where the power is negated.

Henman continues to press for a severity of serve and eschews variety. There is little margin for error with such a policy and the first serves on target - a mere 45 per cent - bore testimony. And there were eight double faults.

"Clay takes a lot of adjusting to, and I have to view it as a huge challenge," said Henman. "I've got to be able to pick my opportunities. I did not start off well, but I do enjoy playing on clay."

This was hardly apparent, given Henman's somewhat tetchy demeanour on court, including a couple of audible obscenities which did not reach the ear of the umpire. Blanco, rated 40 places below Henman, last year reached the quarter-finals of the French Open and Henman was well aware how difficult the match was likely to be.

But he never looked likely to stretch the Spaniard. And for all Henman's insistence that he is following a consistently aggressive serve-and-volley plan, he remained indecisive and indeterminate.

At least the glories of Monte Carlo in the spring will not be lost on him entirely. There are no clay courts worth speaking of in Britain, so Henman will remain in the Principality practising prior to next week's clay court tournament in Munich.

Last week's winner in Barcelona, Todd Martin, was yesterday hustled to a 6-2, 6-1 first-round defeat by Andre Agassi, who now faces Pete Sampras.

Greg Rusedski practised hard at the Monte Carlo County Club in the morning in preparation for today's match against Germany's Boris Becker. Although Becker denies it, rumours abound that he may yet play one more Wimbledon this year, having bowed out after last year's quarter-final defeat by Sampras.