One to Watch in 2011: Justine Henin, Version 3.0

She was the first player in WTA history to retire with the No. 1 ranking, but when she returned to tennis after an eighteen-month absence in 2010, seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin still had a lot to prove.

2011 Player to Watch - Justine Henin

After a very promising beginning in which she reached the finals of the Australian Open, Henin hit a plateau in the spring, and by the time Wimbledon – her self-proclaimed reason for returning to tennis – had concluded, she was finished for the season, nursing an elbow ligament tear and lacking sorely in the critically important confidence department.

Five months after her last competitive match, Justine is gearing up for round two of her comeback, but questions still persist about her ability to sustain a level of play – and health – that might elevate her to top of the sport again.

“Getting off to such a good start and coming within a set of winning the Australian Open right out of the gate made the expectations and the time line a little more unrealistic,” says Justin Gimelstob, “but there’s no doubt that if she’s healthy and prepared, she’s going to be a force in the game with a good chance of winning any tournament she enters.”

Take a good hard look at her 2010 results, and you’ll find it hard to argue with Gimelstob.  While Henin lacked the signature Grand Slam success that she might have been expecting, there is a strong body of evidence that points to Justine being a bona fide force in 2011.  The Belgian reached four finals in nine tournaments in 2010 (good enough for the WTA to elect her as its comeback player of the year), and if her record in deciding sets wasn’t so un-Henin-like – 8-8 in matches that went the distance, including 0-3 vs. Kim Clijsters – she’d have finished the year in the top ten.

The Big Question:  Will Wimbledon Pressure Prove to be Too Much?

Since she’s returned to tennis, Henin has spoken about the need to pace herself.  She’s stated that she needs to do things differently – ‘with serenity’ – but even as she is genuine about wanting to take a more holistic approach to life on the WTA Tour, her trademark intensity and desire to perform at a world-class level have made practicing what she preaches a difficult task.

In the end, Henin’s ability to reach her goals in her “second” career might depend on her ability to create lower expectations that set her up for surprising success rather than heartbreaking failure.

But can she do this if she declares that anything less than a Wimbledon title will be a disappointment?

Henin has fine-tuned her game to increase her chances for success on grass, but there is a high level of pressure that comes with her stated goal of completing the career Grand Slam.  It’s hard not to wonder if her obsession with success at The All England Club might lead to an overall lower level of play on the other surfaces for Henin (particularly clay).  Or even worse, that the self-inflicted pressure might set her up for devastation and eventually cause her to cut her comeback short.

Renowned sports psychologist and tennis coach Dr. Allen Fox agrees that Henin might be unnecessarily creating pressure for herself.  “It’s not the best play,” says Fox, regarding Justine’s Wimbledon aspirations.  “The less you talk and the less you make those kind of statements, the less pressure on you and the better you are going to perform.”

His words make complete sense, but what works for the average player may not work for Henin, who has crafted a legendary career out of thriving under pressure.  Perhaps the motivation to back up her words is what will get her over the hump and into the record books once again.

“I think it’s more disingenuous to pretend that something doesn’t mean a lot to you,” opines Gimelstob.  “I don’t have any problem with her being honest with what her goals and her desire are, and actually audibilizing her goal.”

Henin, for better or worse, has stated her mission.  She claims that watching Roger Federer complete his career Grand Slam at Roland Garros was a major impetus in her decision to return.  Now, approaching 29, she’ll attempt to make the dream a reality.

If she has the patience to truly enjoy the journey, and remembers to embrace the serenity along the way, Justine Henin just might become the only player in history to retire at No. 1…TWICE.

Chris Oddo is a freelance tennis writer and blogger who is based in San Francisco, California. He is a regular contributor at OTB under the moniker The Fan Child. You can follow his blog at http://thefanchild.blogspot.com.