Allez Justine! Farewell to a Champion

As I’ve reflected today about Justine Henin and her legacy to tennis, I thought back to a story I wrote about her last fall after she won her seventh (and now final) Grand Slam title. Some of you have already read it, yet I feel it accurately sums up what the WTA Tour lost today.

Once upon a time, in the tiny country of Belgium a little girl dreamed of winning a Grand Slam tournament.

Twenty years later, she is the proud owner of seven major singles titles.

Justine Henin has come a long way from the child who dreamed of winning a big trophy, the adolescent who visited Roland Garros with her mother, or even the woman who first hoisted a US Open trophy in 2003.

As Justine admitted last night, she can testify to the difference four years can make in the life of an athlete. The old bones start feeling the wear-and-tear, the pressure to stay at the top takes its toll, and the competition only gets tougher as the years go by.

The biggest change has come in her soul.

“I’m a better player than four years ago,” agreed Henin. “I have four years of more experience. I’m more mature.”

That maturity and experience have been on display for the past two weeks as Justine barrelled past women who technically should have beaten her.

The heavyweight players should have made mincemeat of the Tour’s resident lightweight contender. Pound for pound, inch for inch, Venus and Serena Williams should have wiped her off the court.

But what Justine Henin possesses transcends height, weight, and now even surface. For years, she was regarded as little more than a clay court specialist.

No one doubted that she could succeed at Roland Garros on her native surface, but on hard courts, the Marias, Venuses, Serenas, and yes, even the Svetlanas should have put the little Belgian in her place.

What we have seen over the past fortnight from Flushing Meadows has been the lethal composition of a superplayer, a true renaissance woman masterfully proficient in her craft.

The calculating, tactical mind of Martina Hingis, the athletic prowess of Venus Williams, the fight of Maria Sharapova, and the raw power of Serena Williams have all been merged into the body of a woman who can’t even clear 5″9 while wearing stiletto heels.

Her aggression and power on court are at an all-time high, something that Henin is particulary proud of.

“But I’m really proud that not being that tall I can compete and be the best player in the world,” said Henin.

“Not a lot of people really thought I could do it, and that’s why I’m really proud of it because probably Carlos has been the only one that told me every day, ‘You can do it, you can be the No. 1 player in the world.’ Not a lot of people thought I could win this Open with the draw I had, and I did it.”

After her waxing of Venus and Serena Williams, no one believed that Henin would not win her second US Open crown.

When Henin returned to the Tour after her emotional off-season, I wondered if her personal demons would get in the way of her tennis. I could not have been more wrong.

Tennis has always been a solace for her. When she is at her best, she feels at peace with those around her and her inner self. As I was listening to Henin’s post-match press conference, I was struck by how often she mentioned that she now feels she can be herself on the tennis courts and more important, with those closest to her.

“I think I look more open. I look myself. I can be a funny person.”

Henin won’t ever be known as tennis’ greatest comedienne, but take one look at her face when she hits her zone on court, and you won’t see a woman more at peace with herself on earth.

“I think that people have really started to know me a little bit better, and it’s been a big difference in my life the last few months. I’m just feeling healthy, happy, and I just can be myself.”

Has her newfound peace and assurance influenced her tennis? You had better believe it, although Justine is hesitant to admit that it does.

“I do prefer when it’s calm, when it’s normal,” said Henin, “and it is right now.”

“It’s much better in my life. So I can imagine there’s a little impact on my tennis. But I’ve been professional a lot, like always, and didn’t know really what to expect from this season when it started pretty badly for me. I just kept fighting and came back probably stronger.”

Where does her latest triumph fit on the scale of her previous six wins?

“It’s great. This one is maybe the most important one,” relished Henin.

“The quality I played in the last few matches is amazing. It’s just a great feeling because I had a tough draw and I had a lot of things to prove to myself? Not to anyone else, just to myself.

And I did it.”

Justine, I wish you the best. You will be missed.

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