Henin following Clijsters' lead

[John]

BRUSSELS (AP)—Former world No. 1 Justine Henin is returning to competitive tennis, making the announcement barely a week after Kim Clijsters capped her comeback from retirement with a second U.S. Open title.

Henin had been retired for just over a year, but at 27 says she has the fire and physical strength to compete for an eighth Grand Slam title. Her announcement on VTM television capped an about-face that went from her "definitive decision" to retire last year, to weeks of no comment to a smiling admission Tuesday that she truly missed the game too much.

She wants to play two exhibition tournaments, in Charleroi, Belgium, and Dubai, to hone her skills ahead of a competitive return next year with plans to compete in the next Grand Slam, the Australian Open.
In this photo taken Thursday Sept. 10, 2009, Belgium's former number one tennis champion speaks during a media conference in Brussels. Henin on Tuesday Sept. 22, 2009 announced her return to competitive tennis for next year. Henin had been retired for just over a year, but at 27 she again has the fire and physical strength to compete for an eighth Grand Slam title. Her announcement comes barely a week after Kim Clijsters capped her comeback from retirement with a second U.S. Open title.

"The fire within burns again," Henin said. "I want to come back in January."

http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_ylt=Aq5yDvWyv1Su5MmlF_KB7Lw5nYcB?slug=ap-heninfuture&prov=ap&type=lgns

Just like with Clijsters, I don't think Henin will have much trouble resuming her place at or near the top of the game. She's strong where so many of the players in the top 10 are weak, in the head.

 

[sportschick]

Thank God. I've needed somebody to despise on the women's side for the last coupla years.

Welcome back, you foul evil creature!

 

[BTExpress]

Good news.

Not one of my favorites personally, but I enjoy seeing the smaller players compete and succeed. And I treasure every rare one-handed backhand that I get to see.

And she pisses Serena off. That's never a bad thing.

 

[da man]

Why do you hate Justine? I was just thinking her comeback gives me someone to root for. As a matter of fact, I was just watching her teaching the one-handed backhand (among other strokes) on the Tennis Channel yesterday and thinking how much more interesting the women's game would be with her back.

 

[sportschick]

I've been over it before. You don't withdraw because of "cramps" in a Slam final.

 

[BTExpress]

I've been over it before. You don't withdraw because of "cramps" in a Slam final.

A few years ago, the night before the tournament final in Miami, Goran Ivanisevic slept the wrong way and woke up with a strained neck that severely limited his movement. (Happened to me once. God, it was torture to play).

During the warmups he was hardly moving or hitting the ball with any force. Agassi quickly took a 3-0 lead in about as uncompetitive series of games as you will ever see on that level.

At that point, Goran said "No mas" (or whatever Croatians say) and retired.

We were all disappointed, of course (the bad thing about a final is that there is NOTHING ELSE to watch). But would we have wanted to see Ivanisevic go through the motions in a mockery of a match and lose 6-0, 6-0, 6-0?

If you are not competing, what's really the point?

That Aussie Open women's final was over before it began. Maybe a player with less heart wouldn't have even tried to go out there. Or would have pulled an Ivanisevic and quit after 3 games.

And maybe I'm giving Justine the benefit of the doubt because a couple of years earlier I watched her have to be helped off the court after struggling with cramping (the other kind) in a marathon U.S. Open semifinal against Capriati that she could have easily quit on.

BTW, two other players retired during their matches against Mauresmo that tournament, including Miss Congeniality (Clijsters) in the semifinals.

 

[ringer]

Let me just say this: ugh

 

[Second Thoughts]

this is so obvious. She saw Clijsters win and figured she could do just as well. wouldn't a final between them be something, with each beating a Williams sister in the semis.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I'm just glad she's not married anymore, now she's perfect for the one-column hole, hed-wise.

 

[BTExpress]

Our columns are getting so narrow that pretty soon Li (as in "Na Li") will be the only tennis player we'll be able to fit in one column.

 

[sportschick]

BTE, let me have my irrational hatred of the woman. It makes women's tennis way for fun for me!

 

[BTExpress]

BTE, let me have my irrational hatred of the woman. It makes women's tennis way for fun for me!

Sure.

Sports gets old pretty quickly without irrational hatred. ;D