FACTBOX: Former world number one Justine Henin
Factbox on former world number one Justine Henin who announced her retirement for a second time on Wednesday.
January 27, 2011 / 09:43 IST
Factbox on former world number one Justine Henin who announced her retirement for a second time on Wednesday.
Born on June 1, 1982 in Liege, Belgium.Turned professional in 1999 and won her first WTA title in Antwerp.The 1.67 metre tall Henin, gifted with a breath-taking single-handed backhand which John McEnroe rated as the best in tennis, captured 43 singles titles, including seven grand slams during her career.Henin became the first Belgian to reach a singles final at Wimbledon in 2001, where she was beaten by Venus Williams. She also went on to become the first Belgian to win a grand slam title when she overwhelmed compatriot Kim Clijsters to win the 2003 French Open.Grand Slam winsOvercame Clijsters to win her second grand slam title at the US Open in 2003 and then again in the 2004 Australian Open final.Won a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics despite being plagued by an energy-sapping viral illness.Won the French Open in 2005 and 2006, only the fifth woman to win back-to-back Roland Garros titles in the professional era.Reached the final of all four grand slam tournaments in 2006, becoming the first player to achieve such a feat and reach the final of the end-of-season Championships since Steffi Graf in 1993.Secured the 2006 year-end number one spot on her way to winning her first WTA Championships in Madrid.Marriage break-up and retirementBegan 2007 by missing the Australian Open to deal with the breakdown of her four-year marriage to Pierre-Yves Hardenne, but went on to win her third consecutive French Open in May with victory over Ana Ivanovic of Serbia.Won grand slam title number seven with victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova for her second US Open trophy.Ended season by beating Maria Sharapova 5-7 7-5 6-3 in an epic final lasting three hours and 24 minutes to win her second consecutive WTA Championships. Started off the 2008 season with victory in Sydney but she was soundly beaten by Sharapova in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.On May 14, 2008, still ranked number one in the world, Henin announced her retirement with immediate effect at a press conference. The timing of her retirement was totally unexpected since her favourite tournament, the French Open, was less than two weeks away and as the 2007 champion she would have been expected to defend her title.On Sept 22, 2009, she announced her return to competitive tennis after spending 16 months out of the sport.Second comingOnly weeks after her 2010 comeback Henin reached the Australian Open final where she lost to Serena Williams in three sets.She added two more tournament wins in Stuttgart and the Netherlands but fell before the quarter-finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon.She damaged tendons in her right elbow at the grasscourt tournament which ruled her out for the rest of 2010.Returned to tennis again this year but bowed out in the third round of this year's Australian Open against Svetlana Kuznetsova and decided to quit tennis, for a second time, after doctors advised her to end her career due to her injured elbow. Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
