Former world No.1 Justine Henin says she has matured during her 20-month break from tennis and can be a better player when she makes a return to the sport next week.
Henin, 27, told a news conference yesterday she “grew up” during her absence from the court and can eclipse the standard she set in winning seven grand slam titles.
The Belgian will play in next week’s Brisbane International and the subsequent Sydney International before contesting the Jan. 18 to Jan. 31 Australian Open — the first grand slam of the season — as a wild card.
While keeping expectations in check, she said a second Australian Open title was “possible.”
“I believe I can be a better player, I believe I can use my experience more than in the past,” Henin said.
“When you are into [playing tennis at] 200 percent you have no time to realize it. You are too involved all the time and all this time off helped me to realize everything I achieved,” she said.
Henin said her absence from tennis has given her personal insight and perspective, adding that she didn’t watch a set of tennis in the first 12 months after retirement and now returns to the sport refreshed and self-aware.
“What I can say is I know myself much better and that’s the most important thing,” she said.
Henin appeared more relaxed at yesterday’s news conference than in the past, when she was often perceived as aloof.
“I’m 27 now I just want to live my second career differently to how I did in the past,” she said. “It’s been a great experience to go out of the tennis world for 18 months and to come back because I feel I grew up.”
After a week of storms ashore, Ineos Team UK won one of two races sailed in a shifting breeze yesterday to raise the faint hint of a comeback in the America’s Cup Challenger Series final against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. As racing resumed after a week’s delay, Luna Rossa won the fifth race of the Prada Cup final by 1 minute, 20 seconds to lead 5-0 in the first-to-seven series. Faced with the possibility of match point, Team UK expertly called the shifts to win the second race by 14 seconds and keep the series alive after six races. Two races today are
Olivier Giroud’s bicycle-kick on Tuesday broke Atletico Madrid’s resistance and earned Chelsea a crucial away goal, a 1-0 victory giving Thomas Tuchel’s side a slender advantage in the UEFA Champions League last 16. Giroud’s acrobatic strike was initially ruled out for offside, but stood after the video assistant referee showed that Mario Hermoso had the final touch, delivering a huge blow to Atletico’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals. Diego Simeone’s side had put on a typically disciplined defensive performance until that point, but Giroud’s moment of genius means that they must score in London on March 17 if they are to avoid
Women’s golf star Michelle Wie West ripped former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani over objectifying comments in telling a podcast story about her from a 2014 fundraiser. Giuliani, who also served as a lawyer for former US president Donald Trump, spoke on the War Room podcast of political strategist Steve Bannon about paparazzi taking photos of Wie West when her underwear was briefly visible as she stood over a putt. Giuliani, who played alongside Wie West and the late radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, called the tale a joke, but Wie West was more disgusted than amused in referencing the
Tiger Woods has had surgery for multiple fractures of his right leg after a car accident that a Los Angeles police officer said he was “very fortunate” to have survived. The golfer was “awake and responsive” after the operation to insert a rod into his tibia and stabilize his ankle with pins, his TGR foundation said on Tuesday night. Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Carlos Gonzalez, the first to respond after Woods’ car went off the road in a single-vehicle accident, said that the sports star was “calm and lucid,” despite being trapped inside his vehicle. Woods was removed from the crash by