More Thoughts On Justine Henin

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Now that I've picked my jaw up off the ground, I'm ready to say more about the retirement of world No.1 tennis player Justine Henin.

As commenter Denise pointed out to me yesterday, it's possible I jumped the gun with my speculation about why she's really retiring.  Besides the reasons I mentioned yesterday, if I'm honest, part of my reason for speculating is that I don't like her.  You see, I hold grudges---it's a character flaw that with a lot of drugs and a little therapy, I might be able to overcome, but until then, there it is.

The primary reason is the French Open semi-final she played against Serena Williams in 2003 which is described in this article by Howard Fendrich at NBC Sports.com.

However, let's go out on an high note, shall we?  I'm here to write about my memories of the 5' 6" powerhouse from Belgium.  The first that pops into my head is the semi-final she played at the 2003 US Open against Jennifer Capriati.   That match, which went into the wee hours of the night was one of the best matches I've ever seen. 

Jennifer threw every tennis skill she owned at Henin, was two points away from winning the match at least ten times, and Henin would not go away.  She was down 5-2 in the third, came back to beat Capriati, and after needing IV fluids to replenish herself, went on to win the tournament the next night.

And what about all those clashes with Serena Williams?  There were many and they were fiery.  Unlike Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario who made up for her short stature with speed, Justine developed her body with a training regimen that would kill most football players and compensated with compact power and consistent groundstrokes.  The rest of her game?  All mental.  She had a will of iron.

From The International Herald Tribune, here are some AP quotes from other players:

"She was a great champion and she gave me a world of trouble, so I hope the best for her. She had a great year last year. ... Gosh, what can you say about such a champion? I don't think we have enough time." — American player Serena Williams.

"She was a great opponent. She always challenged herself to play her best tennis no matter what the circumstances. She was just a real fighter, so I think that was really what made her best." — American player Venus Williams

"She was a great player and achieved so much. She brought a lot to the women's game. ... I'm sorry to hear this thing, but it's her own feeling and her own decision." — Serbian player Ana Ivanovic.

"It's obviously a shock for the tennis world. It's particularly surprising that it came one month before the French Open and two months before Wimbledon, which she has never won. It's unfortunate she is out of the game, but she would have had her reasons." — top-ranked men's player Roger Federer.

So a hearty farewell and good luck to Justine.  Allez!