Profile

 

Nationality: Belgian

Current residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco

Date of birth: 1-6-1982

Place of birth: Liège, Belgium

Size: 1.66 m

Weight: 57 kg

Status: Pro (since January 1, 1999)

Preference: right, one-handed backhand

Coach: Carlos Rodriguez

 

Biography

 

From the cradle to the number one in the world.

Mystery of life wanted that Justine was born during Roland Garros (French Open) on June 1st 1982, day of the quarter finals of that edition, finally won by Martina Navratilova. This doesn't explain Justine's career so far though. Justine got the love for sport trough her sportive environment. At the age of 2, a hazard made her move to Rochefort at only a few meters from the local tennis club where she played tennis for the first time.

 

At the age of 5, she spends all her summer vacation on courts, going home from time to time for dinner. By the time she is 6 and still progressing very fast, she leaves Tennis Club Rochefort to join Tennis Club Ciney.

 

This is her first contact with trainings and competitions. After working with several trainers, Justine joins the French tennis federation where Jean-Pierre Collot and Luc Bodart help her to improve her techniques. Making huge progressions Justine leaves the French federation for a while to start a private program at Tennis Club Géronsart with Gabriel Gonzalez.

 

Being a brilliant student, very good football- and tennis player, Justine definitely chooses for tennis and makes an end at football. After Gabriel Gonzalez and before making her comeback at the federation, Justine works with Michel Mouillard for 2 years. It is indeed around 14 -or more or less a year after her mother died in 1995- that Justine meets Carlos Rodriguez who brought her where she is today. With most of her training taking place in Mons, Justine decided to continue her secondary school in that same town.

 

Since then everything has gone fast .As in 1997, she wins the Orange Bowl -junior's championship. Especially when she wins the junior's of Roland Garros it’s proven: after a few months, Justine has to face reality and stops her studies to become full-time professional in 1999, which was also the year of her first participation at the Fed Cup with the Belgian national team. Her first steps in the women circuit is a wonderful success as she wins the final of the tournament of Antwerp against Sarah Pitkowski. The same year she meets Pierre-Yves Hardenne who became three years after in November 2002 her husband.

 

After the year 2000 being a bit more difficult due to injuries, problems and illnesses which are already forgotten, good results are following each other.

 

2001 starts great: 2 victories, Gold Coast and Canberra. But it's with Roland Garros and Wimbledon that Justine is finally noticed by the public. Playing the semi-final in Paris and the final in Wimbledon. Thanks to those high level performances Justine enters the top 10.

 

But in 2002 it's her steadfast that brings her as number 4 on the ranking. And especially, the year 2003 will start with successes in Dubai, followed by a semi final at the Australian Open. But the best is yet to come, with a memorable victory against Serena Williams in the Charleston final and a triumphant duel against Kim Clijsters in the Berlin final. And that is far from everythingsince,strengthened by 3 victories, Justine will go to Roland Garros with an enormous boost of confidence.

 

So much that Justine Henin-Hardenne gave Belgium her first Grand Slam title on June 7 2003. After she won over Serena Williams in the semi final she took care off…Kim Clijsters in the final. An historical final followed by more than 1 million Belgians on television and ten thousands of spectators, amongst them almost the complete royal family.

 

Risen to the number 3 position of the world thanks to the victory in Paris, Justine dedicated the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen to her mother, whom she promised in 1992 that she would play on Centre Court too one day at the International Championships of France.

 

This historical victory wouldn’t bring down Justine’s motivation. In Rosmalen, her first tournament on grass, she bends in the finals (by giving up) against… Kim. And, on Wimbledon she pushes through to the semi-finals, where Serena Williams takes revenge for Roland Garros.

 

After the grass and the Fed Cup meeting, the fantastic American tour begins, which brings in three titles (on three tournaments) for our champion. The first in San Diego (she won from Kim in the finals), the second in Toronto (she won from Lina Krasnouroutskaya in the finals), and the third on the… US Open.

 

She draws the attention of the American public by playing in the semi finals. In more than three hours of unexpected turns and nice variations, Justine overcomes not only cramps after she almost lost the match twice, but also wins from public favorite Jennifer Capriati.

 

After that, she needed an infusion because she suffered from dehydration. Despite the physical tiredness, the new inhabitant of Wépion reaches the finals and makes Kim doubt … by keeping her behind the baseline, by breaking her rhythm more than once and by hitting several sliceballs where Kim doesn’t have an answer for. The number one of the world lost, despite two setpoints in the first game, 7-5 6-1.

 

Justine Henin once again wrote tennishistory by winning her second Grand Slam tournament and by becoming the number two of the world, right behind her compatriot. The Belgians dominate women’s tennis, and as for Justine, she dominates New York, after Paris.

 

It’s been said that the year 2003 would be Justine’s year. Winner of two Grand Slams and five other tournaments…it is logic that the champion would be on the number one spot of the world by the end of the year. And,as said, it was the morning after her victory over Jelena Dokic in Zürich that Justine is on top of the world for the first time. So we are back were we started, the little girl who was born during Roland has realised her dream.

 

But it doesn’t end here: her motivation is enormous and she still has a lot of surprises for us.

 

We wouldn’t know Justine very well if we would think that she’s resting on her laurels now she dominates world tennis. Strong as she is in her top position, she does everything to try and leave her marks in the history of tennis.
From January 2004 on, we can say that she still craved for victory. She won the two most important tournaments in Australia: Sydney and Melbourne. During her tour in Australia, she made a clear round, which included beating Lindsay Davenport in the semi-finals and Kim Clijsters in the final.

 

Everything went well until the beginning of the spring: she wins the tournament in Dubaï and the tournament with the big reputation: Indian Wells.

 

In reality, it’s a nasty virus that will jeopardise the future of the champion’s season, just a few days before the beginning of the clayseason. Not fully aware of the evil effects of her disease, Justine tries to defend her title at Roland Garros. The worst happens to her in the second round, when she’s immediately eliminated by Tathiana Garbin. After Paris, she took the decision to leave the circuit for a while and to take care for herself.

 

But you can never be sure whether this virus is completely gone or not.

 

That’s why Justine took the courageous decision to go to the Olympics in Athens, whithout really knowing how sick she was. After a false start, she almost achieved perfection during the semi-final against Anastasia Myskina. Still overwhelmed by this incredible succes, she didn’t give any chance to Amélie Mauresmo in the final and won the only Belgian golden medal in Athens. This is, she said with great emotion, the most beautiful victory in her career.

 

Convinced that she finally got rid of the virus once and for all, she flies over to New York for the next tournament. Unfortunately, her body disagrees and she pays the price: Nadia Petrova defeated her in the fourth round. This was her last match in 2004…Can we say that it was a bad year ?

 

Yes and no. Yes because Justine only played nine tournaments and that her moral suffered from the negative consequences. No, because she won five out of the nine tournaments, including a Grand Slam and the Olympics! Many players would want to follow in her footsteps.

 

But there’s much hope for 2005. Now that she’s completely recovered and left the disease behind, she will return to the courts, still determined to show everybody that she stays the world’s best player.

 

Justine's Diary - After US OPEN 2007

 

24/09/2007

 

Dear friends,

 

It's been a little past two weeks since the US Open has ended. In a few days I will already be in Stuttgart, and the last leg of the tour season will have begun for me. But before that I want to take a moment and write to you.

 

The previous months were rich in emotions. After Wimbledon I went on holiday with my loved ones. But I also spent two days in Switzerland with the kids of the Foundation. It was a splendid experience. We shared incredible moments. I received so much from the kids, not only their warm embraces.

 

I prepared the best possible way for the American tour. I was so thrilled winning the title in Toronto. In the final, as in previous matches with Jelena, we played a hard fought contest. It was an excellent preparation for the US Open.

 

I managed the first week of the US Open quite calmly. Just as Roland Garros and Wimbledon, I found myself one on one with Serena Williams in the quarterfinal. I didn't play Venus in four years, but she was my semi-final opponent. I can't tell you enough how enormous my motivation was. I think we reached an incredible level of tennis in that match, and it will remain as one of the best matches of my career.

 

In the final against Svetlana it was important that I placed pressure from the first exchanges of the ball. And I needed to be aggressive throughout the match. A final in a major is always very powerful emotionally, and to think that I won the US Open in this manner. Furthermore, defeating Serena and Venus along the way can only bring me more confidence in the future.

 

It was valuable and fantastic to be able to take as much pleasure as possible on the tennis court. With this US Open I was able to share all these moments of joy with my family. I know that you were all there to support me from Belgium to far away lands. I also know that you didn't get much sleep during the fortnight. I saw the quantity of messages that arrived in the Guestbook, and I am really happy to have given you so much excitement.

 

Unfortunately , I couldn't go to Beijing because of asthma problems, but after a few days of rest, I gradually began to train in Monaco. I have less than a week left to practice for Stuttgart, and be in form. After that tournament I will play Zurich then Madrid for the WTA Championships.

 

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your eternal support. I hope to make you live great new emotions till the end of the season.

 

With you soon,

 

Justine