Can you believe, the 2010 pro tennis season is starting in just about a week. The year kicks off with events in Abu Dhabi – an exo! – plus the Hopman Cup, Brisbane, Doha and I’m sure I left another out.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will play in Abu Dhabi. I know Andy Roddick, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters are signed up for Brisbane, so that should be quite the event.

As for the off season, I guess not much of one if you are a top tennis player. Unlike his peers, Roddick actually had a few months off. I know he banged up his left knee in Shanghai, but consider the guy’s season ended in mid-October so he should be fresh for the upcoming New Year.

Really liked this interview from The Guardian with Justine.

There was one moment when I knew my life was going to change again,” Justine Henin says intently as she remembers watching the men’s singles final of the French Open this year. [...]“I didn’t watch the women at all in Paris,” she says with a mildly dismissive wave, having won the French Open four times previously. “I feel closer to players like Roger Federer. And of course Roger was trying to win the only grand slam he had never won. Part of me wanted him to win but, in another way, I knew it would give me trouble mentally if he did.”

Henin laughs infectiously – not the usual response from a woman who has faced down her demons and analysed those internal battles with the kind of tortured introspection which would entrance Jonny Wilkinson. But Henin is in markedly good humour at her tennis centre in Limelette, a sedate Belgian village half an hour from Brussels.

“You know that little voice we all have in our heads?” she asks. “Mine was talking a lot that afternoon. It was telling me Roger winning the French was very special. But it also bothered me to see him win. It made me think how much I’d missed by not winning Wimbledon. It was a strange feeling but, not long after that, I had the courage to put on my cap and pick up my racket. I had not played any tennis for a year and my one friend, who saw me put on the cap, said, ‘Well, I know this girl pretty well and that can only mean one thing’.”

Henin smiles when asked what might have happened if Federer had lost in Paris? “I think I would’ve found something else to allow me to return. I needed an excuse to play tennis again.”

[...] All her fight, as central to Henin’s game as her artistry, had drained away. “I was not happy,” she says. “I was exhausted and I just wasn’t into it any more.

“I was questioning my career and if your mind is not there 200% you have no chance. In those last months I kept saying to [her coach] Carlos Rodríguez, ‘I must keep playing because this is the only thing I can do’. But I was no longer proud because I had lost myself in that tennis bubble.”

Henin played her last match 19 months ago in Berlin – losing to Dinara Safina. “I knew it was over. I made my decision and it was a big relief. Just like today it is a big relief to come back to tennis.” She smiles at the irony. But Henin is also convincing when stressing that, “There was no other option when I retired. I was going to hate tennis forever if I kept on playing. And for the first few months after I gave up it was fantastic. I could do whatever I wanted. I met new people and did different things. I had my freedom again and everything felt perfect. I tested myself with a television series [The Twelve Labours of Justine Henin] when I had to do many challenges. I had to sing. I had to play soccer. I had a little role in a famous TV series in France. The hardest challenge was to cook – because I never cook. But I did OK.”

And then what happened? Henin looks up and, again, she is starkly revelatory. “I started to feel really alone. I started to think about my tennis life. Maybe it’s me becoming an adult – slowly but surely. I realised how precious life is. Because I grew so much in my time away from tennis it made me want to return to it – in a different way. I saw that there was a chance for me to come back and be more positive and less anxious. I had some difficult moments but I’m the kind of person that needs to analyse and understand everything.”

[...] She might be too controlled to appear exuberant, but Henin is driven by a vibrant desire to win Wimbledon. “People forget that my first grand slam final was at Wimbledon when I was 19 [in 2001, when she lost to Venus Williams]. My grandfather died that day but he was happy because we spoke after I beat Jennifer Capriati in the semi-finals. I was very close to him, because he was my mother’s father.”

Henin, who also lost the 2006 final at SW19 to Amélie Mauresmo, shrugs, just a little sadly. “We all have a story. I know mine hasn’t been easy all the time but it was important for me to put tennis away and become a person who can look at my whole story and understand what happened. I can now accept myself for who I am. But I don’t want this second career to be built on all I suffered in the past. I want to build on more positive things, like my happiness. I want to come back differently – with more maturity and serenity.

“Someone said to me, ‘You have everything to lose with this comeback’. But no one can take away what I’ve achieved. This is something new. And if I could win Wimbledon one day it would feel like I was completing my journey. It would also give me another chance to win a grand slam and really enjoy it. That seems a very good reason for me to come back to tennis.”

I can’t say I like her, exactly, but I’m so intrigued by her. Can’t wait to see what she does in 2010.

Justine was on fire again (get it?) in her Cairo exhibition against Nadia Petrova, winning 76(4) 64.

And the comebackhandening rolls on.

Flavia Pennetta and former world number one Justine Henin during an exhibition match at CPH Women Tennis Trophy in Charleroi. Henin won 6-4, 6-4.

Italy's Flavia Pennetta during an exhibition match against Belgium's Justine Henin at the 7th CPH Women Tennis Trophy, Belgium

Justine Henin t the 7th CPH Women Tennis Trophy.

120609 / CPH Women Tennis Trophy

Justine Henin won the exhibition event in Charleroi, Belgium, defeating compatriot Kirsten Flipkens and then Flavia Pennetta, 64 64 in the final:

Justine says she has no expectations regarding the Australian Open. She is pretty much the only one.

Images via AP

Justine Henin made her comeback played an exhibition match against Kirsten Flipkens at the 7th CPH Women Tennis Trophy in Charleroi, Belgium. She won 6-4, 6-4.

Looking at Justine’s photos, it seems like it’s the finals of a Grand Slam. Lighten up!

Like these two at The Beauty Challenge in Brazil.

This is how I expect an exhibition to look like. Lots o’ happy.

Today during a press conference in Paris the 30-year old French woman said goodbye to tennis in tears. I loved her attitude and wonderful style of play and will never forget the slams she won at the Australian Open en Wimbledon both against Justine Henin. She will truly be missed by many but her results in the last 2 years showed that the fire for tennis was not there anymore and then I do think it is wise to retire. Good luck in the life after tennis!

All Time Grand Slam Leader Roger Federer

In a few weeks, Roger Federer will be in action at the ATP World Tour Masters Championships in London and will carry a special Wilson racket bag that was created for the year-ending tennis tournament to give some insight to what’s next from Wilson in 2010.

Wilson is proud to be Roger Federer’s official tennis equipment company and in recognition of Federer’s incredible 15 Grand Slams, Wilson will give away 15 of these special racket bags.

Register on the Wilson Tennis website and after 15 days, 15 lucky tennis enthusiasts will win this special Wilson Roger Federer racket bag.

To catch a glimpse of Federer’s new bag tune into the ATP World Tour Masters Championship in London starting November 23rd.

For more information go to: www.wilson.com/baggiveaway

No purchase necessary. Open only to legal residents of the United States and the District of Columbia age 13 and older. Promotion period: 11.15.09- 11/29/09. Void where prohibited. Subject to official rules available at http://www.wilson.com/baggiveaway

McEnroe – Borg. Het was misschien wel de grootste rivaliteit in de geschiedenis van de tennissport. Niet alleen qua persoonlijkheden waren de brutale Mac en de koele Zweed elkaars tegenpolen, ook in hun speelstijlen botsten zij met elkaar. De aanvaller McEnroe versus de verdediger Borg. Servicevolley tegen baselinespel. Maar waar aanvallende spelers in de jaren van McEnroe en Borg eerder regel dan uitzondering waren, is het servicevolley-spel anno 2009 vrijwel uitgestorven. Is er nog een toekomst voor de netspecialist?

Zelfs Andy Roddick speelt met zijn verwoestende opslag nauwelijks servicevolley

Als we kijken naar de huidige ranglijsten, dan komen we bij de mannen in de Top-30 één servicevolleyspeler tegen, te weten Radek Stepanek op plaats 12. In de Top-50 staan verder Ivo Karlovic (38e), John Isner (40e) en Feliciano Lopez (46e). 

Hiermee komen we op een schamel totaal van 4 spelers, waarbij ook nog aangetekend moet worden dat geen van hen over een natuurlijk talent aan het net beschikt als bijvoorbeeld een Pat Rafter of Pete Sampras vroeger.

Sombere toekomst
De situatie bij de dames is nog een stuk schrijnender. Venus Williams is de enige speelster van naam die met enige regelmaat servicevolley speelt, maar ook zij brengt toch de meeste tijd door op de baseline, net als de jonge generatie hardhitters onder leiding van Maria Sharapova.

Amelie Mauresmo houdt ook wel van het netspel, maar het is nog maar de vraag of de Française volgend jaar überhaupt nog speelt op de tour. Misschien dat de technisch begaafde Justine Henin in haar comeback het servicevolley tennis weer wat meer aandacht zal geven.

Michael Llodra, toernooiwinnaar in Auckland en Rotterdam in 2008 met constant servicevolleytennis, ziet de toekomst somber in. “Toen ik jong was, was het mijn droom om servicevolley te spelen,” zegt de Fransman. “Maar tegenwoordig zijn de ballen niet meer zo snel en worden er nieuwe banen aangelegd om het baselinespel te bevorderen. Niemand wil tegenwoordig meer servicevolley spelen. Zelfs Tim Henman kwam in de laatste twee jaar dat hij speelde lang niet meer zo vaak naar het net.”

Betere tijden voor het servicevolleytennis: John McEnroe en Stefan Edberg in actie in de halve finale van Wimbledon 1989.

Opleving
Henman, wiens aanvallende spel hem vier halve finales op Wimbledon heeft opgeleverd, speelde aan het slot van zijn loopbaan inderdaad meer vanaf de baseline. Maar de nieuwe generatie spelers begint het volleren weer wat meer te waarderen.

Zo nam Novak Djokovic gedurende enkele maandan in 2007 voormalig dubbelspecialist Mark Woodforde in dienst, puur om aan zijn netspel te werken. De Serviër, wiens volleys voorheen een duidelijke zwakte waren, is zich inmiddels een stuk beter thuis gaan voelen aan het net.

“Kijk naar Federer,” zegt Djokovic. “Hij kan alles. Servicevolley, spelen vanuit het achterveld, aanvallen, verdedigen. Dat is het spel waarmee momenteel goede resultaten worden behaald en dat zal ook in de toekomst zo zijn.”

Maar zijn er nog mogelijkheden voor pure servicevolley-spelers om succesvol te zijn aan de absolute top?

“Ik denk zeker dat het mogelijk is,” zegt Federer, die ondanks het feit dat hij zelf een van de beste volleerders is in het circuit, alleen het net op zoekt als hij zijn tegenstander hiermee kan verrassen. “De omstandigheden zijn een stuk moeilijker nu de ballen en de banen veel langzamer zijn, maar ik denk dat als je erg goed volleert, zoals Edberg, Sampras, Rafter of Becker vroeger deden, je een enorme druk kunt zetten op de baselinespelers van tegenwoordig. Maar het is moeilijk, want we retourneren in deze tijd beter en slaan makkelijker passeerballen vanwege de tragere omstandigheden. Toch ben ik benieuwd op welke positie ik het jaar af zou sluiten op de ranglijst, als ik gewoon na elke eerste en tweede service zou oplopen naar het net.”

Pete Sampras en Pat Rafter zijn twee van de laatste succesvolle servicevolleyers.

Trage speelomstandigheden
Andy Roddick, de man met de hardste service uit de geschiedenis van de sport, heeft de laatste jaren veel getraind op zijn volleys. Maar hoewel de Amerikaan opslagen van boven de 230 km/h afvuurt, komt hij slechts zelden naar het net.

“Zelfs op Wimbledon is het niet meer te doen om servicevolley te spelen,” zegt Roddick. “En het probleem is niet dat we het niet willen, het is doorgaans gewoon geen optie met de zware ballen en langzame banen, en de manier waarop er tegenwoordig geretourneerd wordt. Als er op meer snelle indoorbanen gespeeld zou worden, zou je veel meer servicevolley zien, omdat het dan wel een goede tactiek is.”

Ook Mario Ancic – die in het begin van zijn loopbaan furore maakte met servicevolleytennis, maar tegenwoordig ook voornamelijk een baselinespeler is geworden – ziet weinig toekomst voor het servicevolley als er niets verandert aan de speelomstandigheden.

“Ik heb een paar keer met Stefan Edberg getraind en hij zei ook dat de banen tegenwoordig zó langzaam zijn, dat zelfs hij onder deze omstandigheden waarschijnlijk niet zoveel servicevolley zou hebben gespeeld”, aldus de Kroaat. ”De sport is op dit moment erg één-dimensionaal. Je hebt Federer, mijzelf en nog een aantal spelers die wat agressiever spelen, maar dat gaat dan nog steeds vanuit het achterveld.”

Bewijs
“Je ziet tegenwoordig meer baselinespelers winnen op Wimbledon,” zegt Djokovic. “De Spanjaarden, die altijd liever op andere ondergronden spelen, kunnen er nu ook goed presteren. Nadal is geen servicevolley-speler, hij speelt met enorm veel spin op zijn forehand, en toch bereikt hij drie jaar op rij de finale. Dat is het bewijs dat de banen een stuk langzamer zijn en dat de bal hoger opstuit.”

Met speelomstandigheden die op de diverse ondergronden steeds langzamer en gelijkwaardiger worden, lijkt er weinig plaats meer voor servicevolley-specialisten. De breed ontwikkelde tennisser is de toekomst van het proftennis. Vandaar de trend onder de jonge spelers om meer te trainen op de volleys, want het netspel is de laatste jaren altijd een ondergeschoven kindje geweest. Alleskunner Roger Federer was bij zijn opkomst een ongeëvenaard fenomeen, nu is hij de maatstaf voor de nieuwe generatie.

Een aangepaste versie van dit artikel verscheen eerder in Tennis Magazine.

Foto © Niels de Water

A tenista belga, ex-número um do Mundo, regressa no início do ano à competição. Segundo afirmou hoje, será a 3 de Janeiro de 2010, no Torneiod de Brisbane, q5 dias antes do Open da Austrália.

“Depois de 15 meses de ausência, estou entusiasma por ir começar a minha segunda carreira em Brisbane”, afirmou, em comunicado, Justine Henin, que soma sete vitórias em torneios do “Grand Slam”.

De acordo com a belga, “vai ser formidável estar novamente em competição e defrontar fortes adversárias em Brisbane, onde o clima é idêntico ao de Melbourne. Será a preparação ideal para o Open da Austrália”.

Eu digo: Vai ser formidável voltar a ver esta senhora jogar

Fonte: http://desporto.sapo.pt/mais_modalidades/artigo/2009/10/21/henin_de_regresso_em_brisbane.html

Justine Henin receives a wild card for Australian Open 2010, the first Glam Slam of each year.

I am so excited, I do miss Henin. I am sure everyone misses her too!

The tennis world needs such talented players to keep playing.

Go Henin!

How far go you think Henin can reach in AO10? Do you think she can achieved what Kim Clijster did in US Open, being the first wild card player to lift the Glam Slam trophy.

Ya sé que la noticia viene con mucho retraso, ya sé que los amantes del tenis ya lo saben, pero no podía quedarme sin expresar mi alegría por saber que la verdadera número 1 del tenis está de vuelta.

Así es, Justine Henin regresa a las pistas para replantear su rivalidad contra su compatriota y amiga Kim Clijster, recién ganadora del US Open y contra las odiadas, temidas, pero aplastantes hermanas Williams ante un circuito que se presentaba como decadente, además de las nuevas y jóvenes promesas que aunque tratan de ser la nueva ola de “héroes” como las ha descrito la WTA, se han quedado muchas de ellas en pañales y no han podido suplir la gran competencia que se había presentado desde los 80 con el surgimiento de tenistas como Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Mónica Seles, Jennifer Capriati y en épocas recientes Henin, las Williams, Clijsters, Sharapova y la pobre rivalidad que representó Sáfina para la última y las hermanas norteamericanas.

Ese 14 de mayo en la que Henin se retiró, el puesto de número 1 quedo vacío. Muchas trataron, se sentaron en el trono pero rápidamente tuvieron que abdicar, es hora de que la verdadera reina se posicione en el lugar que dejó abandonado y conquiste nuevos territorios, aún la vida le debe a Justine un Grand Slam, Wimbledon, y si Roger Federer tuvo su oportunidad en Roland Garros, es justo que una jugadora tal versátil y talentosa tenga esa recompensa.

Mucho se ha dicho sobre Justine también en la parte negativa, que si su coach la ayudaba durante los partidos de Grand Slam con señales, con consejos desde las gradas. Eso nunca fue a ciencia cierta comprobado, y por muy poco que le pudiera decir Carlos las ejecuciones perfectas eran puro sello de Henin.

Finalmente, mi esperanza es ver un tour de la WTA renovado con viejas pero jóvenes esperanzas como Clijsters y Henin, y en el fondo de mi corazón y como fan de Sáfina espero que ahora sin la presión del número 1 conquiste Slams como fue el caso de Mauresmo y de Clijsters misma. En pocas palabras espero ver buen tenis, y larga vida a la reina, Allez Justine!

If Andy Roddick wanted to prove his point that tennis players have to adhere to a “ridiculous” schedule of events over the year, his retirement today from the Shanghai Masters was the ideal way to do it.

Andy Roddick (c) Not Enough Megapixels 2009

Andy is one of sports more outspoken characters and never has a problem voicing his opinion on something that he doesn’t agree with, especially anything within the world of tennis. Recently he got angry with US Officials who decided that they were going to regulate players twitter posts during the competition, in case they tweeted about any inside match information. I’m not sure why they would but anyway, Roddick’s third round defeat meant that he didn’t have to abstain from his love of social networking for too long.

This week it was the ATP’s 11 month season that he was speaking out about, arguing that the gruelling calendar was accounting for the number of players getting injured or having to cut their careers short. His timing in doing so was undoubtedly not coincidental. World number 1 Roger Federer is reportedly suffering from exhaustion (couldn’t possibly have anything to do with having two screaming babies in the house could it?!), Rafael Nadal has spent a large part of the year recovering from an ongoing knee problem, and our very own Andy Murray has had to pull out of a series of recent events thanks to a persevering wrist problem. World number 5 and reining US Open Champion Juan Martin Del Potro, is also having some problems after his recent success, losing last week to a player ranked 184 places below him. Andy Roddick was the latest to join this list today. So if you count him, 5 out of the 6 top ranked players have been hampered by injury problems this year as the season draws to its very short close. With only 2 out of these top 6, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, competing in this week’s Shanghai Masters surely Djokovic would fancy his chances after winning at the China Open last week. But with the Serb’s tendency to call for the trainer at every available opportunity, I wouldn’t put it past him.

So, just as I agreed with Roddick over twitter gate I am inclined to agree with him on this one too. After attending a recent course on Sports Journalism in the hope of furthering my career I was told I would need at least 3 summer sports I felt confident to write about and 1 winter, with other ideas for things to write about in the off season from tennis, tennis being what I mainly wanted to write about. Having already purchased tickets for the ATP end of year finals held in late November, at the time I immediately wanted to ask when exactly this “off” season occurred. According to a friend of mine this would be most of the year, as she said upon hearing that I would love to report on tennis, “So you’ll only work two weeks of year then?!” Err no tennis is an all year sport.

The end of year finals on the men’s tour will this year be held at the O2 Arena in London, which I will attend in its penultimate weekend at the end of November. It is only for the top players, but those are the ones who have to be in shape to attend the warm up events for the Australian Open at the beginning of January. That’s a month then, barely enough time to eat a slice of turkey or have a glass of champagne, before returning to work.

Some would argue that living the fabulous lifestyle of a professional tennis player, what would be the need of a long relaxing break. The obvious toll that is being taken by their bodies suggests even a professional athlete is in need of some time out.

The women’s tour has suffered a similar problem in recent times. Following the spate of retirements of young players such as Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, no woman has really taken on the top place in the game. This year the end of year finals on the women’s side is going to take place four weeks before the male equivalent, effectively giving them a month longer to rest than the men. And the two afore mentioned Belgians have decided to return to tennis, and the game is moving in a positive direction.

It is the Chinese fans however, who this time are being struck the toughest blow. Those who most probably bought their tickets well in advance will be understandably disappointed by the lack of top players present this week. And this cannot be good for a sport which is continually self-promoting and seeking new audiences. If the top players are not available through injury then the fans will lose interest and not come back. And if this is the fault of the ATP and tournament organisers, then something needs to be done about it, and fast. Or there will be no players left let alone spectators.

I’m a bit late to this news, but just to make it official: Justine Henin has been granted a wildcard for the 2010 Australian Open. There. Now you know.

The Comebackhand will reportedly begin in Brisbane, where Kim Clijsters will also be playing.