Losing streak

Okay we’re all very excited about the build-up to tonight’s Battle of Britain part deux when Liverpool take on Chelsea in the Champions League semi final.

But because the Spurt is not afraid to delve where other lesser blogs fear to tread, let’s pause for a moment and hail another very different, but still very British kind of hero, 21-year-old Robert Dee.

Huh? Who? We hear you ask, and you’d be right not to recognise the name. But forget household greats like Lampard and Gerrard with their winning ways, Robert Dee is a tennis playing plucky loser who puts previous Brit hero Tim Henman to shame, with a blemished record which has seen him go defeated for three straight years.

Let’s look at those career stats: 1096 days, 54 matches - all defeats and 108 straight sets lost with a best world ranking of 1466. Surely he is the very paragon of sporting mediocrity?

Or was because now Robert Dee has triumphed (albeit briefly) with a 6-4, 6-3 erm caning of Arzhang Derakhshani in first round qualifying for the Reus tournament in Spain, before promptly reverting to type and losing in straight sets in the second round.

Ladies and gentlemen we give you Robert Dee - a very British kind of sporting hero.

Someone should step up and sponsor this man.