WTA: Justine Henin - The fear of Serena Williams has disappeared
Justine Henin , herself a long-time competitor of the great Serena Williams , says that the days are over when the young players were still afraid of the 22-time Grand Slam winner.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Dec 29, 2021, 08:03 am
The Belgian Justine Henin was one of the very best players on the WTA tour from 2003 to 2007, has collected seven Grand Slam titles in five years and won the WTA finals twice. In addition, the lady from Liège was at the top of the women's world rankings for a total of 117 weeks during this period. In 2011 the four-time Roland Garros winner finally ended her career.
A player in this exceptional class, one would think, should have been able to enter the center court of every tournament facility on every working day without fear. The now 39-year-old said in a recent interview that this was not really the case: "Serena was feared at the time and many of us were afraid of her for years." But now the clock will soon be 2022 and the tennis world is different than it was before ten years.
"She feels that"
According to Henin, the young players now have enough self-confidence not to worry too much in front of the former grande dame of the WTA: “The times are over, the young players are starting to play themselves in the foreground. Since her lost Grand Slam finals at the latest, it is no longer the case that her opponents are afraid of her - and she can feel it. "
How it will actually go on with Serena Williams is questionable. The 40-year-old has already canceled the Australian Open from January 17th, and there is still a big question mark behind her physical fitness. Sister Venus, who already counts one spring more, seems to feel fit enough for bigger tasks, because the five-time Wimbledon winner, equipped with a wildcard, will start at the "Happy Slam" in Melbourne.