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http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3395373
Henin's agent says she's retiring immediately
By Bonnie D. Ford
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: May 14, 2008, 9:44 AM ET
Justine Henin is retiring, effective immediately, her agent Ken Meyerson
confirmed Wednesday morning.
Justine Henin
Henin
Meyerson said the world No. 1 player called him Sunday evening and, in what he described as a "warm" conversation, said, "I've won everything I need to win, I have more money than I can use in three lifetimes, and I don't have the will to play one day more."
She asked him to notify her sponsors and help her put together a press conference in her home town in Belgium. The 25-year-old Belgian, who has been in a bad slump all spring, called a news conference for 10 a.m. ET.
Henin told Meyerson she had been thinking about the decision for five or six months. Her play over that period has been flat, partly because of a troublesome knee that required cortisone treatment, but Meyerson said the reasoning behind her retirement is all emotional.
"She's simply burned out and has no more juice to go on," he said.
"I was surprised at the urgency of the decision. We, as agents, like long farewells. I'm really sad," Meyerson said. "She did so much for the game, and we need her in the women's game. Pound-for-pound, she was one of the best tennis players in history. She was an underdog. She was someone we could relate to."
WTA Tour officials in Rome said they'd not received any official communication from Henin.
Henin, who has battled through injuries and a divorce, had a standout season in 2007, winning two Grand Slam championships, eight other tour titles and over $5 million.
However, after winning her home tournament in Antwerp in February, she has been on one of the worst skids of her career, failing to go beyond the quarterfinals at any event.
Henin's year began with a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open quarterfinals in January, followed by a 6-2, 6-0 drubbing by Serena Williams at the Sony Ericsson Open in April, the worst loss for a top-ranked player in nine years.
At last week's German Open, Henin was upset 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 by Dinara Safina in the third round, and then pulled out of this week's Italian Open, citing fatigue.
"She finds it tough, losing matches she normally would not lose," Belgian Fed Cup captain Sabine Appelmans said. "But I don't think her career is over. She has to get through this and then end her career at the top of her game."
Wednesday's news conference came less than two weeks before the start of Henin's favorite tournament, the French Open, which she has won the past three years as well as in 2003. She also won the Australian Open in 2004, and the U.S. Open in 2003 and 2007.
The only Grand Slam title to elude Henin is Wimbledon, where she was runner-up in 2001 and 2006.
Henin has been ranked No. 1 since Nov. 13, 2006, except for a seven-week period last year when Sharapova held the top spot. Henin has won about $20 million in career prize money.
Bonnie D. Ford covers tennis and Olympic sports for ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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我嚇到無法排版了
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3395373
Henin's agent says she's retiring immediately
By Bonnie D. Ford
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: May 14, 2008, 9:44 AM ET
Justine Henin is retiring, effective immediately, her agent Ken Meyerson
confirmed Wednesday morning.
Justine Henin
Henin
Meyerson said the world No. 1 player called him Sunday evening and, in what he described as a "warm" conversation, said, "I've won everything I need to win, I have more money than I can use in three lifetimes, and I don't have the will to play one day more."
She asked him to notify her sponsors and help her put together a press conference in her home town in Belgium. The 25-year-old Belgian, who has been in a bad slump all spring, called a news conference for 10 a.m. ET.
Henin told Meyerson she had been thinking about the decision for five or six months. Her play over that period has been flat, partly because of a troublesome knee that required cortisone treatment, but Meyerson said the reasoning behind her retirement is all emotional.
"She's simply burned out and has no more juice to go on," he said.
"I was surprised at the urgency of the decision. We, as agents, like long farewells. I'm really sad," Meyerson said. "She did so much for the game, and we need her in the women's game. Pound-for-pound, she was one of the best tennis players in history. She was an underdog. She was someone we could relate to."
WTA Tour officials in Rome said they'd not received any official communication from Henin.
Henin, who has battled through injuries and a divorce, had a standout season in 2007, winning two Grand Slam championships, eight other tour titles and over $5 million.
However, after winning her home tournament in Antwerp in February, she has been on one of the worst skids of her career, failing to go beyond the quarterfinals at any event.
Henin's year began with a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open quarterfinals in January, followed by a 6-2, 6-0 drubbing by Serena Williams at the Sony Ericsson Open in April, the worst loss for a top-ranked player in nine years.
At last week's German Open, Henin was upset 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 by Dinara Safina in the third round, and then pulled out of this week's Italian Open, citing fatigue.
"She finds it tough, losing matches she normally would not lose," Belgian Fed Cup captain Sabine Appelmans said. "But I don't think her career is over. She has to get through this and then end her career at the top of her game."
Wednesday's news conference came less than two weeks before the start of Henin's favorite tournament, the French Open, which she has won the past three years as well as in 2003. She also won the Australian Open in 2004, and the U.S. Open in 2003 and 2007.
The only Grand Slam title to elude Henin is Wimbledon, where she was runner-up in 2001 and 2006.
Henin has been ranked No. 1 since Nov. 13, 2006, except for a seven-week period last year when Sharapova held the top spot. Henin has won about $20 million in career prize money.
Bonnie D. Ford covers tennis and Olympic sports for ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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