Henin Seeking Career Slam at SW19 - 網球

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Henin Seeking Career Slam at SW19
Monday, 11 June, 2007

The more things change, the more they stay the same. This has been a year of
tumultuous change in the personal and professional life of Justine Henin, and
yet her tennis has emerged stronger than ever.

She could be forgiven if that were not the case. After all, 2007 has seen her
five-year marriage to Pierre-Yves Hardenne come to an end. Early May brought
the retirement with immediate effect of her fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters, and
thus the close of the domestic rivalry which has defined both their careers.
And, joyfully, 2007 has seen her reconciled to her siblings and father, the
family from whom she was estranged for so long.

All this would amount to something of a personal earthquake in anyone’s
life, yet if anything Henin has emerged visibly more content. When the woman
who finished 2006 ranked number one in the world decided sensibly to give
herself emotional breathing space by opting out of the Australian Open in
January, there were murmurs as to what kind of year she might have on the
Tour – and that was before the news of her reunion with her family had
emerged. Yet on her return, she swept up titles in Doha, Dubai and Warsaw,
before marching on to Paris for the tournament she loves so much. There she
not only won her third straight French Open, but was so dominant that for a
second successive year not one opponent was capable of denying her so much as
a set.

Having turned 25 at the start of this month, Henin views Wimbledon with new
intrigue. Can she make it her seventh Grand Slam title, the only one she has
not captured? Last year she lost a fascinating final to Amelie Mauresmo, but
she now seems re-armed and renewed. Of course her toughness has never been in
doubt. It all makes the thought of possible battles on grass against Maria
Sharapova or Serena Williams an even more thrilling prospect.

“Wimbledon remains a very important goal for me,” said Henin. “It wouldn’
t be the end for me in a tennis sense if I never won it, but it would be a
great achievement in my career. It was the first Slam where I reached a
final, so that’s special to me. The grounds at Wimbledon are so beautiful –
the most beautiful site out of all the Grand Slams, I think. It’s all about
the traditions of the place. I really like it. All the players love to come
to Wimbledon. They are more relaxed there than at other Slams. That makes it
special.

“It doesn’t bother me that I haven’t won it yet, but it makes it a
challenge and that’s great. I need challenges. It’s tough to pull off the
double going from Roland Garros to Wimbledon but last year I was just a set
away. Two Slams in a month – that’s tiring and a lot of pressure, but I
think I could do it. As a little girl I dreamed of winning just one Slam
title. Now Wimbledon is the only one I don’t have. If I can do it, it would
be great.”

Written by Kate Battersby


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