Tennis News

Seven-time Slam champion. 117 weeks at World No.1. 43 WTA singles titles. 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist. 2001 Fed Cup champion.

Hall of Famer? Never in doubt.

Justine Henin will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame this summer, in a class that includes two-time major champion Marat Safin. Despite her impeccable resume, the 33-year Belgian admitted the announcement still came as a surprise.

“It’s an honor to be part of the game, of the history of the game,” Henin told reporters via phone on Tuesday. “When you play, you don’t really realize that you’re going to be part of the game forever. Now with this honor, probably more I realize that a little bit more.”

Standing at just five feet, five inches, Henin rose to the top of the game during a time when pure power tennis appeared to take hold. Her game, built on variety, guile, and quickness set her apart. Her great rivalries with the likes of Serena Williams, Amélie Mauresmo, and compatriot Kim Clijsters helped define her generation of greats.

Finding a way to hit hit above her weight-class, Henin’s laser-like focus and grittiness earned her a spot at the table, while her elegant game – punctuated by one of the finest one-handed backhands the sport has ever seen – drew in many fans.

Henin hopes her one-handed flair doesn’t disappear from today’s game. She insists it’s still a viable shot even as the game has gotten faster.

“I wouldn’t say it’s too hard now in the women’s game because I think Amélie and I, we proved that even we were playing with Venus and Serena and many other pretty strong players, we proved it’s not because of that. The game is going faster and faster, that’s for sure.

“It’s just that when you are a young kid, it’s easier to play with two hands because you have more power. You start like this. Then it’s very hard to change or maybe there’s no reason to change.

“I started with a one-handed backhand. Maybe because I was a big fan of Steffi Graf and Stefan Edberg, maybe it’s for that. I worked on this technically, physically, and finally it could be powerful.”

And how about some of that classic Henin backhand and her message to her fans she'll see in Newport this summer! pic.twitter.com/NJgVd5XIt8

— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) March 9, 2016

Reflecting on her career, Henin focused on her drive to prove the doubters wrong. After her mother took her to the French Open when she was 10, Henin vowed that one day she would play on Court Philippe Chatrier. She would go on to win the junior title there in 1997 and Roland Garros would be her place of dominance for years to come, winning the title in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007.

“Coming from a small country, not being so tall, not being so strong, like for a lot of people life hasn’t been so easy to me when I was young.

“Not a lot of people really believed I could reach my goal because my dream was to become the best player in the world. It became my goal. A lot of people thought I was a little bit crazy. But strongly, deeply I never really doubted about the fact that I could make it.

“I always say to the young people, ‘Don’t stop to dream, believe in your dreams, do everything you can to reach your dreams.’ It’s very important. To me ‘dreaming’ is a word that is very important.”

When she heads to the Newport, Rhode Island in July for the induction ceremony, Henin will walk on some of the finest grass courts in America. It’s a small piece of irony given her unfulfilled quest to win Wimbledon and complete the Career Grand Slam. She may just be the best player to never complete the feat. Twice a Wimbledon finalist, she came within a set of completing the feat in 2006 when she lost to Mauresmo.

“I’m the kind of person who is looking after perfection all the time, which doesn’t exist for sure. But I see it as a good thing that there’s something not complete in my career, so I can accept that. I gave everything I had in my career.”

Her signature cap sleeves and bright white cap will surely find their way into the display cases in Newport. It was a jockish look befitting a woman who regularly took the court out-gunned, yet she never shied from the battle.

“I was wearing my cap all the time,” Henin said with a laugh. “I needed it to maybe protect myself a little bit from a lot of things, to get focused, I don’t know. But I won all my Grand Slams with it. That would be for sure the first item I would send to the museum, something that I think people will remember from me.”

After a sudden retirement announcement just weeks before the French Open in 2008, Henin returned to the game in 2010 before ending her career a year later due to an elbow injury. Since her retirement she has focused on her academy in Belgium and gave birth to her two-year old daughter, Lalie.

This year she’s slowly dipped her foot back into tour life after signing on as a coaching consultant to Elina Svitolina. Henin was one half of one of the most famous and successful player-coach relationships in tennis, having been coached by Carlos Rodriguez for the entirety of her career. Theirs was a unique and intense partnership and one that left a lasting impression on Henin. So is she trying to bring the same dynamic to Team Svitolina?

“It was very different. I’m not really in the position of the coach here. It’s just like trying to give my advices and share especially also mentally and emotionally the experience of at least a couple of important matches.”

Whatever she’s said has worked so far. Since announcing the partnership, Svitolina made the semifinals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, won her first title of the season just last week at the BMW Malaysian Open, and is up to a career-high at No.14.

“It’s completely different in the way that she is Top 20 already and I have to respect what she does already and just try to share my experience and my conviction of what she can do more or give more to her game, just try to get better.”

Many look to Henin’s era of players as the last great era, a span of five years that saw intense rivalries surface over and over again on the game’s biggest stages. Mauresmo is already in the Hall of Fame. Clijsters will surely be a first ballot inductee. Serena and Venus are living legends as they continue to play on tour. Henin confessed it was difficult for her to identify what set this group apart.

“Inspiration, I think, is something that is very important,” she said. “I was really inspired. I think it’s the same for all the girls that I played against and with in my generation. We were looking at our idols with a lot of respect. We were trying to take a lot from them and get the inspiration. I still hope that the young players now can still do it and get inspired because it is very, very important.

“Probably also from the next generation, what’s going to be hard is the society is changing a lot. We have a lot of distractions. I don’t know if we all can be as focused as we were in the past because things are going so fast, communication is changing a lot. A lot of things are changing and we have to adapt ourselves.

“Still at the end we need people to be inspired by. I hope that the new generations still get the inspiration from other players. I think it’s something very important.”

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

If you’re looking for the perfect combination of blue skies, spectacular mountain views, top rated spas and the world’s best tennis players all in one location, you’re in luck. Women’s tennis descends on the desert for the first Premier Mandatory event of the year, and we’re giving you all of the details you need to join in on the fun. Our guest contributor and California native CoCo Vandeweghe gives you the insider guide to Indian Wells and the BNP Paribas Open in this edition of the WTA Travel Guide.

WATCH THE MATCHES

The BNP Paribas Open has won the award for WTA Premier Event of the Year the past three years, and last year’s event saw over 456,000 of tennis’ biggest fans walk through the gates to see some of the sport’s biggest stars compete for the title.

Sitting 120 miles southeast of Los Angeles, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden boasts the 2nd largest stadium in the world, with Stadium 1 holding 16,100 spectators. Everything you need for a day of fine dining, world-class tennis and activities for all ages can be found right on site. The Indian Wells Tennis Garden hosts several fine dining restaurants, including world-renowned Nobu, The Chop House and Piero’s Pizza Vino. Details for each restaurant can be found here.

Qualifying runs March 7 – 8, with matches beginning at 11:00am and is free to the public. Main draw action is March 9 – March 20, with day sessions beginning at 11:00am. Night sessions begin March 10 and start at 7:00pm. Looking for tickets? Click here.

If you’re visiting between March 13 and March 16, make sure to head to Stadium 1 at 10:30am each morning for Serve it Up, where lucky fans can come on court and meet a player.

WHERE TO STAY

Within the Coachella Valley, Indian Wells boasts some of the finest hotels and spas in the world. The Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort and Spa is an AAA Four-Diamond award winning resort, and features seven swimming pools, including a kids’ pool with a water slide, and an adult pool with private cabanas.

If a smaller boutique hotel is more your style, then check-in to the Indian Wells Resort Hotel for classic, Indian Wells charm. Founded by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the hotel features tennis courts, access to world-famous golf courses, and a complimentary continental breakfast.

Nesting on 11 acres of gardens, Miramonte Hotel & Spa is the ultimate destination for relaxation. Named one of Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 100 Resort Spas, the The Well, features 13-treatment rooms, and a menu of both indoor and outdoor treatments. After the spa, head to the Miramonte Pool, which was named “Best Mountain View Pool” by C Magazine.

Looking for a hotel where your kids can have fun and you can relax amongst the mountains? Look no further than the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa. This sprawling property features spacious guest rooms, an award-winning Italian restaurant, fashion boutiques, a pool with a sandy beach and waterfalls, and Camp Oasis, a kids’ day camp.

WHAT TO DO

No trip to the desert would be complete without grabbing your golf clubs and playing a round of 18-holes. The Indian Wells Golf Resort features a course named by Golfweek as one of Top 20 “Best Courses You Can Play” in California, and is within walking distance of all four hotels listed above.

For a list of additional activities, including shopping, hiking and cultural outings, click here.

COCO VANDEWEGHE’S FAVORITE SPOTS

CoCo Vandeweghe has been a frequent visitor to the desert long before she ever picked up a tennis racquet, so she was an obvious choice for this month’s guest contributor. Here are California-resident CoCo Vandeweghe’s must-do activities in Indian Wells.

“I’ve been going to the desert since I was five months old because my grandparents had a house there and any break we got, we would come over from Long Island. I love playing the BNP Paribas Open because it is close to home and my family all comes out to support me.

For my birthday this year, we went horseback riding in the desert, which I highly recommend. Also, if you’re looking for a little more ‘horsepower’ then check out all-terrain vehicle (ATV) rentals and cruise through the desert to check out the mountain views. And, for a cruise amongst the palm trees, rent a bicycle and hit the road, which is one of my favorite activities to do with my sister.

For a mix of a good breakfast and some cool golf and tennis memorabilia, head to Randy’s Cafe, which is a local favorite.”

Heather Watson won her third career title at the Abierto Monterrey Afirme, recovering from a set down to defeat Kirsten Flipkens, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The 23-year-old was one of three Brits to reach WTA quarterfinals in Monterrey and the BMW Malaysian Open, joining Johanna Konta and Naomi Broady, respectively, making for the most successful week for British women since 1978 (Eastbourne).

A former US Open junior champion, Watson is likely best known by tennis fans as the hometown favorite who nearly ended World No.1 Serena Williams’ Calendar Year Grand Slam bid at last year’s Wimbledon Championships, pushing the American to three grueling sets.

Unveiling a more aggressive gameplan, the Brit overcame the heat and other adversities throughout the week to defeat the veteran Belgian, surviving a late surge to win her first title since last year’s 2015 Hobart International.

Earning a wildcard at the BNP Paribas Open before completing her winning week in Monterrey, Watson spoke with WTA Insider ahead of her trek towards the California desert about steady improvements and celebrating Mother’s Day with mother Michelle, a “tennis geek” who served as her on-court coach.

Insider: How does it feel to get that third title of yours on familiar and friendly territory in Mexico?
Watson: I’m just really pleased. The week started out kind of tough. When I got my bag off the plane, it was broken so I had it safety-pinned together this whole week. I put my laundry in the first day and lost all my clothes, so I was without half of my clothes. In my first match, I was almost full-body cramping in that epic match against Doi. Being here now, I’m just so pleased with how I stuck with it and tried my best.

Insider: You’d come in with two tough three-set losses in your last couple of events. With all of that happening, with the bags and the laundry, how hard was it to stay positive and to plug away down there?
Watson: I’d lost really close matches to some really tough players, but I didn’t let that bother me. They were all close matches, and I was in them all, so I just had to look at it from that point of view and just be positive about it. That’s what I kept doing.

Insider: It seems quite obvious this year that you’ve stepped up your game quite a bit. Can you talk about the work you’ve been doing in the off-season and some of the adjustments you’ve been making to your game?
Watson: I had a shorter off-season this year because I went to India to play some league tennis, so I only had an off-season for about four weeks. Usually I do about six weeks. Doing this way, I actually preferred doing a shorter but more intense off-season and I just felt fitter than I’ve ever been in January. With my game, I’m always working on being more aggressive; I think in important matches like today, it comes out because I know I need to do that to win otherwise the other player is going to step up first. I always force myself to do it in these important matches but I need to do it more often so it becomes a habit.

Insider: What does being aggressive mean to you and what’s the most challenging thing about that? What’s the biggest key to help keep you in that aggressive mindset when you play?
Watson: I feel like my serve is always pretty aggressive, so I don’t even think about that. My baseline game and trying to step into the court, take the initiative, go down the line first, come into the net. Just go for the winner first, basically, and not just hope for the mistake.

Insider: Does it come down to decision-making? Knowing where that hole is where you can gun for the shot and when not to?
Watson: It’s basically a mindset. I can do it, I can play aggressive tennis, I can play defensive tennis. It’s just making sure my mind is in the right place.

Insider: You aren’t the only player to say they really enjoyed a shorter off-season and playing league events, and they felt more in mid-season form. Is that kind of how you felt when you started the season?
Watson: Because it was shorter and more intense, I was more raring to go, and I just felt so fit. I feel like if the off-season is too long, you can almost exhaust yourself before the season’s even begun. I didn’t do that on purpose this year, but doing it that way makes me want to do it more like that in the future.

Insider: So many players will say that they don’t really know where their game is for the first couple of matches, but there’s always that one match where it triggers something in your brain where you think, “I can win this tournament.” Did you have a moment like that?
Watson: No I didn’t. I literally just thought, ‘I want to win one match here.’ That was my mindset coming in. I just wanted to win that first match, and I killed myself on court and did everything I possibly could to come through that. Once I got myself through that, the second match felt right, and I’ve got another opportunity here. Let’s try and give everything for another match, and it just continued like that and I never thought further than that. I just tried to be as professional as I could, kept my routines healthy, did all my warm-ups and cool downs and did everything I could to be prepared for that next match.

Insider: What’s the story behind your mom acting as your coach this week?
Watson: I’d been with Judy Murray in Australia; she was very nice to help me out. I’d tried a few coaches but haven’t really found the right fit. I asked my mum to come along; she’d been with me when I was very young and playing little tournaments in the UK. She’s been with me throughout my whole career. To have her back was really nice; she’s been so supportive this week. She knows a lot about tennis; she’s a tennis geek! She does actually know her stuff. But she hadn’t seen me win a title yet, so to have her here and seeing it meant a lot to her. Also, it was Mother’s Day back home in England, so it makes it even more special.

Insider: That’s quite the coaching debut!
Watson: Right? I might need her around a little more often!

Insider: Are you without a formal coach? I didn’t know you’d stopped working with you previous coach.
Watson: Yes, for right now, but I’ve got some plans in the up and coming weeks, but nothing set in stone yet.

Insider: When did you split with your former coach, Diego Veronelli? I was going to say Dante, and I was like, ‘No, that’s not right. That’s Nishikori.’
Watson: But Dante Bottini used to be my coach, as well, at Bollettieri. We stopped at the beginning of the off-season.

Insider: Where were you during the off-season?
Watson: I did my off-season in Florida with Pat Harrison, who is Ryan and Christian Harrison’s dad. I did that with him in Florida.

Insider: Was that the first time your mom has ever done one of those on-court coaching timeouts?
Watson: She did it in my first match, but this is probably the first time she’s ever done it.

Insider: Was that surreal, having her come down?
Watson: It felt really normal; I didn’t think anything of it, but yeah, she was great.

Insider: How are you going to celebrate your title? I know you’ll have to get to Indian Wells fairly quickly, but what do you plan on doing this evening?
Watson: Oh gosh. Well, first of all: get some food in me, because I’m hungry. I struggled to eat today and yesterday. I’m actually still not even hungry, but I’ve got to eat something. Then I’m flying early to Indian Wells and I’ve got to make sure I recover, so I don’t think I’ll be celebrating yet. I’ll just wait until after, when I have a few days.

Insider: But it was still a great Mother’s Day present.
Watson: Yeah, I hope she enjoys it.

All photos courtesy of Abierto Monterrey Afirme.

This summer, former WTA No.1 Justine Henin will be inducted to the International Hall of Fame. Ahead of the big day, wtatennis.com and SAP took a look at the numbers behind the Belgian legend’s wonderful career.

1. Henin is one of seven players to hold the WTA No.1 ranking for more than 100 weeks
Henin held the No.1 ranking for a total of 117 weeks, one of only seven players in WTA history with more than 100 weeks to her name. She ascended the rankings summit on four separate occasions, and held the top spot by 1,709 ranking points when she announced her first retirement in 2008. (Note: At the time of her retirement, a Grand Slam title was 1,000 points).

2. Henin has the 12th most singles titles in WTA history
With 43 career singles titles, Henin is tied with Martina Hingis for 12th on the career titles leaderboard. In 143 tournaments, Henin reached the final 42.7 percent of the time winning 43 titles with 18 runner-up finishes. She won 23 titles on hardcourt, 13 on clay, four on grass and three on carpet.

3. Career Slam near miss
Henin won seven Grand Slam singles titles with four coming at Roland Garros (2003, 2005-07). Her other Grand Slam titles came at the Australian Open (2004) and twice at the US Open (2003, 2007). Wimbledon is the only Slam that eludes her resume, although she was a two-time runner-up (2001, 2006) – she is one of seven players to come within one major short of the Career Grand Slam.

4. Dubai dominance
In addition to Roland Garros, Henin enjoyed her most success at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winning 17 of 18 matches in Dubai with four titles (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) in five appearances. Her sole defeat came on her last visit, against Francesca Schiavone.

5. A record-setting season in 2007 vaulted Henin to No.1
Henin’s annus mirabilis came in 2007, winning 10 of 14 events with a 63-4 (.940) win-loss record. As a result, she became the first woman to surpass the $5 million prize money mark in a season.

6. Henin vs. Clijsters Rivalry
Henin and fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters met 25 times on tour with Clijsters edging the rivalry by the narrowest of margins, 13-12. However, in their 10 meetings in tour-level finals, Henin held the advantage, 6-4, including winning all three Grand Slam finals (2003 Roland Garros, 2003 US Open, 2004 Australian Open).

7. Gold medalist at 2004 Olympics
In her one and only appearance at the Olympic Games, at Athens in 2004, Henin struck gold, defeating France’s Amélie Mauresmo in the singles final.

8. A two-time champion at the WTA Finals
A two-time champion at the WTA Finals, Henin competed in the year-end event five times posting a 13-5 record, winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Henin defeated Maria Sharapova 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 for the 2007 title – a three hour, 24 minute battle that still holds the record for the longest final in the event’s history (three hours, 24 minutes).

9. Comeback
After retiring in 2008, Henin returned to the WTA at Brisbane in 2010, advancing to the final in her first event back. Henin won 34 of her 43 matches on her return, adding two titles to her career total – in Stuttgart and ‘s-Hertogenbosch – reaching the Australian Open final and climbing as high as No.12 in the rankings before walking away from the sport for good at the start of 2011.

10. Henin is one of 13 players in WTA history to surpass the $20-million mark in prize money
Throughout her career, Henin earned $20,863,335 in prize money, a mark that sees her occupy 11th place on the all-time pecking order.

The WTA is encouraging fans around the world to celebrate International Women’s Day by recognizing the exceptional women who they admire by using the hashtag #MySuperwoman.

International Women’s Day has been celebrated on March 8 since 1977, when the United Nations proclaimed the date as a time to reflect on progress made for women’s rights, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.

In honor of IWD, WTA’s #MySuperwoman campaign aims to recognize exceptional women who make a difference by engaging with WTA players, legends, coaches, industry leaders and the online fan community.

Here’s how you can join the conversation:
1. On a piece of paper, write “#MySuperwoman is (your female inspiration’s name)”.
2. Take a picture of you with your paper.
3. Post your photo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram today with the following hashtags: #IWD2016 and #MySuperwoman.
4. Make sure to tag your Superwoman so she knows you celebrate her!
5. Like and share posts from players and fans to support and recognize the Superwoman they have named.

Check out the video above and the pictures below to find out who Garbiñe Muguruza, Agnieszka Radwanska, Simona Halep and more named as their Superwoman!