I know I have not rooted for certain people that other people root for and I recognize certain reasons for this, while there are probably others that I don't recognize.  It's not really important when it comes to sports because it's all part of the fun to be able to choose who one roots for.  For example, in their days on the main tour, I found the on-court behavior of both McEnroe and Connors very offensive .  Others forgave them just because they became old geezers, but I could not (not that they asked for my forgiveness).  On the other hand, I was a big fan of people like Becker and Seles, whose behavior on and off court was deeply admirable.  None of this explains why I never found myself rooting for Agassi on court, while off court, he became someone I still admire a great deal.  This leads me to Henin's behavior.  I cannot forget her behavior on and off court - specifically, the Serena incident, the retirement from the Aussie Final and her inability to credit her opponents' play in any post-match loss interviews I ever read.  I am awed by her athleticism and think she was probably reached the point of being the best female tennis player who ever played; she accomplished amazing feats with a short, small-framed body.  I even now think we won't be able to guage the level of the remaining players because she will be off the court.

She always said she found playing on tour made her highly anxious, yet while she was able to win, I guess it had its payoffs.  I have a feeling she is retiring because she can't face losing anymore.  A few losses in a row killed her off.  I certainly will not miss her personality or rooting against her.  Au Revoir.

Its seems Henin's priorities may have changed. this quote from her friend in the Independent:

 excellent article. Good luck to Henin,

Jose revealed: "That's over, and Justine felt that men don't want her for the person she is but because she is the world No 1. She believes she will have a much bigger chance of meeting a good man and then having children in the future if she is not playing tennis any more."

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Please say this isn't true.

She quit tennis so she can get married...again?????????????????????????????

Have the women in women's tennis evolved from the 50's yet???  First Kim, now Justine.

Justine Henin was an inspiration and her presence on tour will be missed. I know the common theory is that it was burnout, but I personally believe it was pressure, something players rarely admit to. She had the best year of her career in 2007 and felt pressure to repeat. Yes, she was a fighter, but as one article described her she was a "fragile warrior." That's how I'll always remember her.

 

I like the spirit of what SerenaRulesAll has pointed out in the end. 

We have to recognize that Justine has worked hard for a long time and maybe does have other interests in mind when she "retires."  I am hoping she returns to the game as well.

Lets consider what might motivate her to stay and what might motivate her to leave.  Has the recent fine of $20,000 by the WTA been brought up?  Maybe it's too soon and too sensitive a topic for this forum.  If the WTA management was doing it's job would we really have an "immediate retirement?"   I cannot imagine Tiger Woods doing something like this a week before the Masters.  It just wouldn't happen in golf because the that tour is so well managed and has considerably more money probably because they have done such a better job than tennis has in the last 20 years.

 The immediate mantra they promote is "The New Number One!"  Isn't that great.  If a major corp. lost their CEO to "immediate retirement," heads would roll.  Although this rarely happens either because of the same reasons it wouldn't happen in golf- those guys are too well paid.

Justine left because she was being treated poorly and no longer had Motivation to continue sacrificing all of her time.  Management needs to get their act together.

I like the spirit of what SerenaRulesAll has pointed out in the end. 

We have to recognize that Justine has worked hard for a long time and maybe does have other interests in mind when she "retires."  I am hoping she returns to the game as well.

Lets consider what might motivate her to stay and what might motivate her to leave.  Has the recent fine of $20,000 by the WTA been brought up?  Maybe it's too soon and too sensitive a topic for this forum.  If the WTA management was doing it's job would we really have an "immediate retirement?"   I cannot imagine Tiger Woods doing something like this a week before the Masters.  It just wouldn't happen in golf because the that tour is so well managed and has considerably more money probably because they have done such a better job than tennis has in the last 20 years.

 The immediate mantra they promote is "The New Number One!"  Isn't that great.  If a major corp. lost their CEO to "immediate retirement," heads would roll.  Although this rarely happens either because of the same reasons it wouldn't happen in golf- those guys are too well paid.

Justine left because she was being treated poorly and no longer had Motivation to continue sacrificing all of her time.  Management needs to get their act together.

There are lots of psychanalysts here. Unless she comes out and tells us the reasons for quitting, we'll never know, just like we really never knew why Borg quit.At that time there was no internet, so the tennis fan/psychoanalyst had no place to recite their insights into Borg's psychy(sp) at the time. Mac's dominance on hard and grass, Borg was too into partying, the breakup with his wife, he and Bergelin wanted to run off and live happily ever after.

I cant believe a 20,000 dollar fine would chase her away. A) one of her sponsors would have paid it gladly.B) she could pick up another tournament and get an appearance fee and make up the money C) 20 grand aint the end of the freaking world to someone worth probably 20 mil

I definitely don't think she would hang it up and end a 10-year career over $20,000 for the reasons Hairload states as well. It's natural some people are going to search for ulterior reasons because the concept that someone who is the best in the world at their job would just walk away is puzzling. But at the same time if Justine's statement that she was thinking about it since Madrid is true (and have no reason to doubt that statement) then it's not like she just woke up and said "I'm done...." It sounds (based on her statement) that she was just a little tired of the travel, tired of the training, tired of the the pressure and tired of the playing and just couldn't regain the motivation she's had for so long. I do think eventually she will comeback, but who knows? IF reconnecting with her family last year has reinforced her desire to have her own family I can understand that. Might sound corny, but really, what good is all the success if you've got no one in life to share it with? It's a lonely life being #1 particularly for a person like her who was pretty insular in surrounding herself with just a few people for years and years. Perhaps she just wants to explore life outside tennis and the sport's history is filled with some who reached the similar conclusion: McEnroe, Borg, Agassi, Davenport, Hingis, Clijsters, the sisters at times, etc. It recalls that old Agassi line: "I'd rather miss out on some good tennis than some good living...."

I agree it's not the 20 grand.  You suggest that 20 grand has less meaning for Henin cause she has a ton of dough?  It buys her the same things as it buys anyone else.   But I agree it is not the money.  It's the principal.

Is it OK to fine the top player in women's tennis for whatever reason the WTA purports?  What was the reason and are other NUMBER ONE athletes in other sports getting fined for withrdrawing?  She's the marquis player.  The fine is probably only a visible symptom of the way the players are not being treated with respect. 

If Management wants to keep key employees in women's tennis they need to make some changes because it is clear many women players are being alienated.  The Henin retirement is as clear a piece of evidence of poor management as you can find.

Name one other athlete who retired at the apex of their sport, making millions, at age 25.  It's clearly not the money, it's poor treatment.  If someone is making millions at their job why would they leave unless they were fed up with their boss???  Obviously going to school will provide her all of the enjoyment the tour didn't offer???   She couldn't just rail on the WTA and make herself look like a cry baby- she is leaving up to us to understand.  Obviously a ton of personal reasons and of course they all combine but the WTA didn't make it totally unappealing for her.

Lendlfan:

   You raise some interesting points. When you say: "The fine is probably only a visible symptom of the way the players are not being treated with respect...." I would say the WTA would be insane to intentionally try to drive a #1 player - or any top player - away from the sport it makes no sense whatsoever to me. Why would you want to alienate the World No. 1 a few weeks before she could have made history becoming the first woman to win four straight French Opens? from a financial and exposure standpoint alone it makes no sense.

   When you talk about "respect" isn't respect a two-way street? Are the recent top player pull-outs from Berlin and Rome signs of the players respecting the fans who paid (in some cases) a few hundred for a tournament? Does it respect a tournament that has supported tennis for decades? Does it respect the sponsors who put up the money for the tournament?

    If she was that upset wth the WTA she could have simply said she was taking a break and waited before coming back. This is a time when tennis is crying out for exposure, when two of the top North American tournaments (Indian Wells and Miami) struggled for TV time and some of the best matches of those traditionally popular tournaments were not even televised live in some markets and you're telling me the WTA Tour would intentioanlly drive the best player in the world away from the game and that she would walk away from the most lucrative job she will ever hold because of "poor treatment?" What exactly are you referring to when you say poor treatment? If there is no rule in place for players pulling out of Tier I tournaments then more and more players could do it then what do you have? You have fans paying top-dollar for tickets and top players not even showing up to play. You have a tour losing even more credibility with fans, tournament organizers, sponsors and television. I don't believe they would be that stupid to intentionally alienate a top player. The other point is if you look at her schedule she had already scaled back her playing time anyway so that's another indication she wasn't fully committed to playing full time.

Borg retired at 26. Wilander was basically done at 25. Cliff Drysdale actually predicted during the final of the 88 Aus Open that Wilander would be done at 26, because the style of play, grinding out 4 hour matches would take it's toll. Hated to admit it, but he was right

In the Open era alot of the great players were done by 25 or 26. McEnroe never won a big one after 25 and he wasn't even a threat his last five or so years on the tour and Borg didn't even play anymore after 26. If they manage their money properly they can walk away and live a comfrtable life. They don't need the airplane rides, the practice grind, and the meet and greets with sponsors anymore. Alot of pro athletes don't know how to take care of their money and they like to have entourages with them. I think Roscoe Tanner, a Wimbledon runner up, ended up broke because of poor money management.  Justine doesn't seem to be the type who needs a private jet and a posse so she should be able to retire comfortably. My guess is though in a year or so she'll be watching on TV and just know she can't beat those girls out there and come back. 

I definitely agree with your point that the respect has to go both ways.   Do you think Justine will be in the booth at the French since she decided not to play?  She has left the game totally right?   There is no incentive.  WTA is not totally cupable for sure.  But if her job is ideal she would not leave would she. 

Someone has a chance to earn a ton a dough and they say no.  Must be a ton of trouble for her to say no.  There must be toruble if they are fining her too, and if she is not showing good faith and making her commitments.  That "trouble" would be minimized in a well managed sport, and is with other sports' number one athletes.  It's disappointing.  Ultimately it is Justine's decision and her reasons are personal.

 Do all you guys who think the sponsors covered her $20,000 fine believe that those same sponsors will keep sending her dough now to encourage her comeback?  I bet if Tiger, who is very well promoted wanted to retire the incentives to continue would be too great for him to leave.  They would want to keep him because they have invested in him and he is a sports Icon.  Justine is not the Icon Sharapova is.  Maybe the WTA is not as disappointed Justine left as they would be if Sharapova had.  That goes back to the point of mutual respect- maybe they were battling about the value each had for the other and the sacrifices associated with them.  Who knows.

I'm sure the WTA is disappointed Justine retired, but if Sharapova retired they would be devestated.  But it's clear the WTA is not Sharapova's biggest fan or best friend  these days either right?