A lot of people may not know me, before I was quite active on this site, but for certain reasons I don't post topics anymore. I still come here now and then to follow the tennis. But this announcement that I read in a Belgian newspapers  hit me in the face.  

For people who can read Dutch:

http://www.sportwereld.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=M31RVRAP

 For those who read English:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/14052008/58/wta-tour-henin-announces-sudden-retirement.html

I couldn't open her official site, maybe too busy. Anyway another great player leaves the tennis.

 

Eric
 

Thanks Eric for sharing these links. It is a sad day - will really miss watching her. She was so unique and played such a different style to everyone else. First time I saw her in person she upset Kournikova at the 2000 US Open (this was when Anna K was still a top 15 seed), think it was on a Monday or Sunday and you could just see the game, the timing, footwork, but the raw hunger: she really wanted to play well. She is young enough to some day come back so wish her all the best.

How sad.  One of the great women players.  Truly a shame.

But ah, the women's side...hard to take it serious at times with things like this.

She'll always get criticized for the Serena incident in Paris and the retirement against Mauresmo in Melbourne. But she was one of a kind on the women's tour. Her heart and determination are unparalleled. As much as some will remember the bad times, I'll remember her never-yielding will power to defeat Jennifer Capriati at the 2003 US Open. I'll remember her coming back from 1-5 down to beat Anastasia Myskina at the Olympics semis in 2004. I'll remember the way she played to defeat Venus Williams for just the second time in her career at last year's US Open. And how she and her family -- finally reunited -- shared in each other's joy after she won last year's French. Her strokes, volleys and movement were all at the top of the game. Best wishes to her in retirement.

-Josh

I will grant you that she is a great tennis player, but somehow, I just have never trusted her. If anything did not go her way, she was never too gracious.

Oh, my gosh; The Queen has abdicated.

I agree, I think she doesn't want to admit a physical weakness on her part but we all know if you're body doesn't give the "Stellar" performance month after month it might be time to call it quits while you still have your A game going for you.

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Tennis Store

I think she will find retirement boring, and that she will try to come back. I think she will have some success, but never reach the number one position again.

I think it is a MISTAKE to retire at the age she is at, just like I thought Kim Clijsters made a mistake retiring early.

If you are AS GOOD as both of them? You need to play until it is time to hang up your cleats. That is what true athletes do.

If you are just some slaw player who barely makes a living at tennis? Then YES, retire early and find a new career to chase. But the top of womens tennis is all talent, effort, pressure and desire. If you can handle the top of the womens game, and beat other GOOD players? You need to keep on playing. The reason I say that is because SO FEW people in the world can do that. It's one thing to be an ordinary player-- there's hundreds of girls out there at THAT level. But to be a top ten, or top twenty? You got something special, mamma. And in whatEVER other job you begin after tennis? The chance that you will be AS GOOD.... in it...as you were in tennis? Is pretty darn low.

The top of any sport has a ton of pressure that goes with it-- that's why you saw Danica Patrick crying when she finally won her first Indy car race; the relief and thrill combined to shake her up.

I think she made a mistake retiring.

But that is OK-- cause there's a wide open field in Paris now for certain, and tons of motivated girls will be right there. Like Patrick MacEnroe once pointed out about Federer, and other champions "It's not about you; it's about the game. The game was here before you got here, and the game will be here after you are gone.... so it is never about YOU." And he is right. Tennis players play the game, but tennis is not about tennis players;-- it's a whole lot more than that.

But Justine can say one thing: Veni Vedi Vici. 

 

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Don't be afraid of anything that science has not proven to exist. Myths and superstitions are not worth your time, or your contemplation; they are mayonaisse for the minds of fools.

I agree with you that if she is healthy, eventually I can see her making a comeback. Disagree that "you need to play until it is time to hang up your cleats...."

   If your heart is not in your job why stick around and go through the motions if you truly aren't passionate about playing? Who does that help serve? I would argue the opposite: that Henin was a true champion because when she reached a point where her desire was depleted and her emotion exhausted rather than hanging on and milking the game for more money, more appearance fees, etc. she opted to leave at the very top of the game - something no other woman in the Open Era has ever done. That takes integrity, IMO, because she could have chosen to stick around as a part-time player and just gear up for big events but if deep down she is not committed to playing - and she made it clear she is not - then why continue doing something you really aren't all that interested in doing?

   IMO, it would be selfish of us, as fans of tennis to ask Henin or Edberg or Rafter or Sabatini or anyone who retired relatively young to stick around just because we want to see more of them. She's got a life outside of the game and she's made the decision to try to explore and live life outside of the game then good for her. Hope she finds the fulfillment and satisfaction she wasn't getting (recently) out of the game. Her game was so predicated on her quicknees, fitness, racquet skill and fighting spirit that it required her to train extremely hard (given the fact she's giving up so much size to other top players) and if you've been on the top as long as she has no one knows as well as she does what type of commitment that takes and if she's just not willing or able to continue to give that type of commitment then I can completely understand letting go. She's not the type of person to give a half-hearted effort.

I agree with you that if she is healthy, eventually I can see her making a comeback. Disagree that "you need to play until it is time to hang up your cleats...."

   If your heart is not in your job why stick around and go through the motions if you truly aren't passionate about playing. Who does that help serve? I would argue the opposite: that Henin was a true champion because when she reached a point where her desire was depleted and her emotion exhausted rather than hanging on and milking the game for more money, more appearance fees, etc. she opted to leave at the very top of the game - something no other woman in the Open Era has ever done. That takes integrity, IMO, because she could have chosen to stick around as a part-time player and just gear up for big events but if deep down she is not committed to playing - and she made it clear she is not - then why continue doing something you really aren't all that interested in doing?

   IMO, it would be selfish of us, as fans of tennis to ask Henin or Edberg or Rafter or Sabatini or anyone who retired relatively young to stick around just because we want to see more of them. She's got a life outside of the game and she's made the decision to try to explore and live life outside of the game then good for her. Hope she finds the fulfillment and satisfaction she wasn't getting (recently) out of the game. Her game was so predicated on her quicknees, fitness, racquet skill and fighting spirit that it required her to train extremely hard (given the fact she's giving up so much size to other top players) and if you've been on the top as long as she has no one knows as well as she does what type of commitment that takes and if she's just not willing or able to continue to give that type of commitment then I can completely understand letting go. She's not the type of person to give a half-hearted effort.

At her best she was one of the very best female players in WTA history. I guess we couldn't really expect her to have a very long career as she is physically at a disadvantage to most of the other top players. And that she has been a dominant #1 player despite it, is a tremendous credit to her mental strength will and passion. Her game was beautiful too. Something seems to have dissipated from her though in the last 9 months or so. Whatever she lost, that slight edge or X factor or whatever you call it, caused her to begin to lose matches in astonishing fashion. The blowout losses to Maria in Australia and Serena in Miami may have played a part in this decision. Like the cases of Borg and Lennox Lewis and others, sometimes when the best realize they are no longer the best, they choose to retire. Henin may have come to the conclusion that she is no longer the best. Her # 1 ranking is about to be taken by Maria. Whatever the reason it doesn't really matter. She was a great champion for tennis one that, like Mike Tyson, overcame a lack of physical height, in the land of much bigger opposition but still through sheer force of will and determination became the best in the world.   

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I know that a lot of what everybody is saying about her is right on, but it seems to me the flip side of that is she has so much going for her currently, so just to sort of officially cut out like that seems to be a bit rash. When I get word of these dramatic press conferences from these types I just can't but help think of some of these other players struggling to just win a few matches in a row. In light of everything, it just seems arrogant. But she did more than her fair share for representing for the sort of underdog. Since it strangely seems that no one else under 5ft 10" and known as a "big hitter" knows what to do with a tennis racket, for that reason alone, hopefully she will come back after she addresses some of the possible injuries, in a couple of years or so.

Blaze, she did say that she initially thought about retiring after Madrid last November. So if that was in fact the first time she thought about it then she waited six months before actually announcing it. Given the fact Roland Garros was her favorite and most sucessful tournament to retire 2 weeks before it tells me she really must have spent time considering it. And as she said she has been playing tennis 20 years. I can see her coming back after an extended break, but who knows? We'll see.

I completely agree with all you said, RP. It's not an Health issue that made her decide to leave the game. She was definitely the best last season without any major injury. I saw the first press conference she gave here on TV the same day papers started the rumours about it. And the way she talked and explained the reasons (losing the fire and determination for the game) for her early retirement was done in a very serene way, very calm and not emotional. She didn't read it from a paper, but talked very clearly and good. She would be a good reporter or commentator. I remember she once said she wanted to be reporter. I wouldn't be wondered that soon she could be co-commentator for a French (or Belgian French) channel. Anyway what she did was rather very brave.

Here you find a video of the conference

part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Iq6nhLsKDA

part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju9F5g1Jfm0