You might call them Henmaniacs - followers of British number one Tim Henman famous for the flag-waving "Henmania" that surrounds him at Wimbledon.

If you cheer like mad for your own national, then you're being grossly unfair to the other ones

David Goodenday

But tennis fan David Goodenday, of north London, is "utterly revolted" by the "nationalist fervour" of British crowds as they cheer on their hero.

In a letter in the Times newspaper, he says they are being "grossly unfair" to the other players and tarnishing Britain's traditional reputation for fair play.

Wimbledon, he says, must be treated differently from a World Cup tournament.

Crowd control

"I've thought over the years that increasingly the crowds have behaved in a really most unfortunate way when there's been any British player playing, and especially Tim Henman," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"It is an individual game, after all. It's not the Davis Cup or the World Cup of football."

Mr Goodenday argues the tournament should ban flags "or other nationalistic displays such as silly hats" in order to restore Wimbledon to a "proper standard".

He says he turns the sound off to better enjoy the tennis on television.

Flag-waving is "inappropriate", Mr Goodenday says

Even just the cheering for Henman "goes right over the top", Mr Goodenday told Today.

"If the opponent hits the ball into the net, there's a wild cheer.

"If he badly judges a ball he thinks is going out and it falls in they give a mad cheer," he said.

The support shown for Henman at Wimbledon has been credited for inspiring the player while he is on court.

The number four seed looked shaky as his fourth round match against unseeded Michel Kratochvil dragged on to five sets on Monday, and he struggled with a stomach complaint.

But he went on to win the match, saying afterwards the "good old crowd got me going again".

'Rather silly'

Mr Goodenday says the crowd's vociferous support for Henman does not represent "fair play".

"Historically, we have been noted for our fair play and that we give everybody an even chance.

"I think if you cheer like mad for your own national, then you're being grossly unfair to the other ones."

He said tennis fans should remember that this is an "individual performance for very large sums of money".

Calling the British fans' displays "rather silly", he said the "nationalist fervour" of the crowd "is, to some extent, threatening to the foreign opponent".

He acknowledged that some might think he was a killjoy, but said that he "couldn't care less".

A Wimbledon spokeswoman said she had no comment to make on Mr Goodenday's views.