Justine Henin Announces Immediate Retirement From Professional Tennis
Posted by Aaress Lawless on May 14, 2008 | Print | Email | Bookmark | Free Subscription
World number one Justine Henin has decided to leave the game of tennis on her own terms.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion announced her retirement from professional tennis in a shocking press conference held on Wednesday.
News of her pending retirement was initially reported by the Belgian press, only to have Henin confirm the report in a press conference.
“It’s the end of a wonderful adventure but it’s something I have been thinking about for a long time,” Henin acknowledged.
“I started thinking about it late last year. I was at the end of the road. I leave with my head held high.”
The 25-year-old Belgian became the first woman in the history of professional tennis to retire from the sport while ranked No.1 in the world.
Henin, winner of 41 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles – including seven Grand Slam championships – is currently in her 117th week as the World No.1, sixth on the all-time list.
Her decision sent shock waves throughout the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Maria Sharapova, who just rebounded from No. 5 to No. 2 on Monday, is next in line to assume the world number one ranking, although she is closely followed on the Tour rankings by Ana Ivanovic.
Henin will be remembered as one of the greatest tennis players of this generation.
She ended three tennis seasons as the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour World No.1 in 2003, 2006, most recently, 2007. Last season was her most successful year ever, during which she won ten titles (including two Grand Slams) and became the first female athlete to pass the $5-million mark in one season.
Justine won every major title except Wimbledon, taking the Australian, French and US Opens at least once, along with two season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships (2006, 2007) and an Olympic gold medal (singles) in Athens in 2004; she also led Belgium to its first Fed Cup title in 2001.
She was recently given the 2007 Laureus World Sports Academy’s Sportswoman of the Year award by the Laureus Sports Foundation, the greatest honor in female sports.
Not unlike her countrywoman and long-time rival Kim Clijsters, Henin does not plan to attempt a comeback.
“This is the end of a child’s dream,” Henin said. “This is a definitive decision. Those who know me know it is serious.”
Today marked the end of her dream as a child of becoming a professional tennis player, one that she shared with the rest of the world.
In an era dominated by tall heavy hitters with powerful serves, Henin proved that agility, poise, and grace could triumph again in tennis.
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Will.I.AM | May 14, 2008 | Reply
If you could see the look on my face and the tears in my eyes…. Wow!
Aaress Lawless | May 14, 2008 | Reply
Hey Pov, thanks for the BBC link! I appreciate your help this morning!
Will.I.Am - I can second that one . . .
Mark | May 14, 2008 | Reply
Will.I.Am and Aaress, I also have twears in my eyes. I have been emotionally attached to only one tennis player, and that is Justine.
pov | May 14, 2008 | Reply
“It is my life as a woman that starts now.”
I find that comment of Henin’s almost as surprising as her sudden retirement. I can’t imagine any male athlete saying the corresponding thing.
KC | May 14, 2008 | Reply
I saw her press conference this afternoon on television, and Justine looked really happy to start her new life. It’s difficult to understand why she quits so suddenly, especially for us in Belgium because she’s the second great tennis player we ‘lose’ in one year. But I understand her decesion. For her it was all about tennis and I think she hated the tennis world; she did not fit in with all those glamour girls.
Dave from Tennis DVDs | May 14, 2008 | Reply
Justine was my fav player still on the tour. I am not a great fan of six foot plus two-handed players with big serves.
If there was one rule that I could change in tennis it would be that if you hit the ball with two hands on the racket it would be a foul stroke.
Bring back the classic game.
PaulaV | May 14, 2008 | Reply
It seems strange that she would end her career so abruptly. At least play the French Open.
Maybe she waited too long to make a decision about her future and found herself in an acute stage of burnout?
Wrerrensott | May 14, 2008 | Reply
Hello my friends
Nick | May 14, 2008 | Reply
Is this the reason why she has been playing so badly in 2008? Maybe she has retirement in her head…she’s 25yo…Justine probably wants a husband and kids like Kim…some ppl dont want to have kids later in life…
But who knows, she’s only 25yo, she might come back later anytime if she desires.
She has already put her feet in the history book…she’ll be missed but she has so many other things in life she wants to do.
PaulaV | May 14, 2008 | Reply
“It is my life as a woman that starts now.”
Yeh, this comment seems to be saying I’m pregnant or I’m getting married. Who knows?
Just speculating…
Nick | May 14, 2008 | Reply
The balance of power just turned on the WTA Tour, and with the French Open coming up…oh man…this is the time for Jankovic and Ivanovic to step up to win their first Grand Slam.
Mauresmo will be the next one to retire, then Venus, or the reversal; Davenport will…have another baby.
Aaress Lawless | May 14, 2008 | Reply
I thought Mauresmo would have been the next one too, probably followed by Venus. Never thought Justine would beat both of them to the finish line, especially after she said only a few weeks ago that she might play another 1-4 years.
Now that the news of Henin’s retirement is finally starting to sink in, its not quite as shocking as it felt this morning.
She’s always done everything on her own terms, and if she had to pick the moment to finally quit, why not go out at the top of the rankings?
Like Nick said, the balance of power royally shifted today. Sharapova’s back to No. 1, but I think we’ll see a reemergence of the old guard, with Venus, Serena, and Lindsay taking advantage of Henin’s absence. Serena looks good for Roland Garros and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Venus or Lindsay go deep at Wimbledon.
Although Ivanovic and Jankovic have done well, I’m not convinced that they have the experience and confidence to win a Slam yet.
Will.I.AM | May 14, 2008 | Reply
The reason Justine’s retirement is so heartbreaking to me is because I’m realizing an era in women’s tennis is ending. The Henin, Williams, Davenport, Clistjers, Hingis, Mauresmo days are coming to an end. It was this era that I grew up watching. It’s just sad and I can’t seem to come to terms with it.
The transition between the Graf, Seles, Novatna, Martinez, Sanchez-Vicario era was so seamless because there were all these young talented interesting women coming up on the tour. But now the young players all play the same and they are barely interesting. It just seems like after Venus and Serena retire, women’s tennis will be dead.
Nick | May 14, 2008 | Reply
Will.I.AM, I am trying to avoid thinking about this…
I will need some Xanax when the Williams, Davenport, and Mauresmo go bye-bye.
That will really be an end of an era for sure!
Oh, don’t want to think about that. I don’t think anyone will watch the French Open the same way this year.