"Justine quitte les courts"

I imagine most of Belgium to be a bit disappointed today. The headline of Metro in the coffee shop today read: "Justine quitte les courts". For those of you who don't follow Tennis, Justine Henin has been one of the most dominant players on the women's tour for quite some time and she announced her retirement yesterday at the age of 25.

At only 5'5 she crushed opponents with her amazing foot speed, impressive power, and a one-handed backhand that John McEnroe once called ' the best single-handed backhand in the women's or men's game'.



Her work ethic was legendary, and it showed on the court. She won 7 Grand Slam single titles (41 titles in all), and the French Open 4 times.

I've read in a few places (not reliable sources) that Belgians have mixed views on Justine, her play and her retirement. This is perhaps true of most sport figures, but I will inquire around town and add comments here as time allows.

I've linked a few videos and info for those of you who haven't seen her play below.

HINTS:

• Unfortunately I missed her doing a PR thing in the Grand Place here in Brussels a few weeks ago (like 20 min walk from where I am staying). You can see that bit here.
• You can see her complete bio and playing history on Wikipedia here.
• Tennis Channel did a "No Strings" episode on her as well. You can see that here.