Henin's Olympic date up in the air - 網球

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SPORT/11/05/tennis.henin.ap/index.html

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Justin Henin might not defend her Olympic gold medal in
Beijing next year, fearing the city's air pollution could trigger her asthma.

The top-ranked Belgian withdrew from the China Open in September because of her
asthma and is worried she might be forced to skip the Games next August.

"I've had asthma for a few months now and I felt very bad in New York at the
end of the (U.S. Open), so Beijing, I was really concerned about that," Henin
said Monday at the Sony Ericsson Championships.

"I was pretty disappointed because I wanted to play the (China Open) and get
used to the conditions."

Henin said she has since controlled her asthma with the help of a specialist.

The air quality in Beijing is "a big problem" International Olympic Committee
inspection team leader Hein Verbruggen said.

His remarks came a week after the United Nations said air pollution was a major
concern for athletes' health ahead of the games.

"It's true that Beijing is going to be tough with the Olympic Games with the
problem I have, but now it seems that everything is under control, which is
important because the Olympic Games remain a very important goal for me in
2008," Henin said.

She begins her WTA championships defense in Madrid on Tuesday against Anna
Chakvetadze of Russia.

Henin has won nine titles this year, including two Grand Slams, and clinched
the year-end No. 1 ranking.

She also has a 20-match winning streak and is bidding to become the sixth
player to win consecutive WTA championships and the eighth multiple winner.

Henin beat Amelie Mauresmo in the 2006 championship final to finish as No. 1.

"I keep coming back to this unbelievable story that impossible is nothing and I
proved it again this year. It's been a difficult year," said Henin, who
divorced early this year and skipped the Australian Open.

Henin returned from that break to post a 58-4 record, including a defense of
her French Open title and a second U.S. Open championship.

"When I came back to competition in February in Paris it was like I had to
start (over) again. I really grew up a lot," she said. "I have no problem to
say it's been the best season of my career so far."

Henin is in the tough yellow group at this year's championships along with
Australian Open champion Serena Williams -- the only American in the field --
third-ranked Jelena Jankovic and Chakvetadze.

The red group has No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova, French Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic
, Maria Sharapova and Daniela Hantuchova.

The top two from each group advance to Saturday's semifinals at the $3 million
event.

Williams, who won the 2001 championship, returns after a three-year absence
having jumped from 140 in the WTA rankings to No. 5 while picking up her
eighth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open along the way.

"I get more focused when I'm down because it makes me want to come back,"
Williams said. "Sometimes when you're ahead you can cruise."

This year's championship ends a two-year spell in the Spanish capital, with
the tournament moving to Doha, Qatar, in 2008.


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看來空氣再不改善的話
juju有可能不打奧運@@!?

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