Justine Henin- Getty Images

Henin Announces Her Retirement

May 14, 2008

Justine Henin rocked the tennis world on Wednesday when she announced her immediate retirement from the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

The 25-year-old Belgian is going out at the very top of her sport, becoming the first woman in the history of professional tennis to retire from the sport while ranked No. 1 in the world.

What she lacked in size—she is only 5’5 ¾”—she made up for with heart, guts, and a solid work ethic. Henin was beloved here in Canada and fans across the country will miss her presence at the annual Rogers Cup tournament. She experienced tremendous success on Canadian soil, capturing the Rogers Cup crown twice in her career, first in 2003 and then again last year. But more than her championships, Canadian fans will miss her remarkable athleticism, her unrivalled mental fortitude, and her grace under pressure.

The announcement came less than two weeks before the start of the French Open, a tournament she has owned in the last five years. She has won the Grand Slam event on clay four times in that stretch, including the last three, and her absence this year will leave a gaping hole in the women’s draw. In addition to her four Roland Garros crowns, she also won two US Opens (2003, 2007), the 2004 Australian Open, two season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships (2006-07), an Olympic gold medal in singles (2004), and led Belgium to its First Fed Cup title in 2001.

"We forget that tennis is a very difficult sport, " admitted Eugène Lapierre, Rogers Cup presented by National Bank tournament director. "I fully understand her physical and mental fatigue. It's just unfortunate that tennis fans in Quebec won't get the chance to see her play one last time this summer."

With files from the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.