Brisbane International Tennis - Australian Open Series

Henin: I can be better this time around

AAP Tuesday 29 December 2009 8 Comments »

A more mature, self-aware Justine Henin has declared her best tennis is yet to come as she prepares to launch her tour comeback in Australia.

Although Henin didn’t set out to put old rivals on notice, she made it clear after arriving in Brisbane on Tuesday she expects to eclipse the standard she set when winning seven grand slam titles before retiring last year.

The Belgian was indisputably the No.1-ranked woman at the time but she said her 20-month hiatus had given her invaluable insight and perspective as she “grew up”.

In a press conference ahead of her WTA Tour return in next week’s Brisbane International, Henin wasn’t about to promise great deeds Down Under but did concede a second Australian Open crown was “possible” next month at Melbourne Park.

If she pulls that off, after also playing the Sydney International, the 27-year-old will emulate fellow Belgian comeback queen Kim Clijsters who won this year’s US Open in her third tournament back from retirement.

Henin is currently third in betting for the Australian Open, behind world No.1 Serena Williams and Clijsters.

Armed with a stronger serve which she hopes will be a genuine weapon, Henin will use the lessons of her first career, when insular and introspective, to make her better in her second coming.

“I believe I can be a better player, I believe I can use my experience more than in the past,” she said.

“When you are into (playing tennis at) 200 per cent you have no time to realise it.

“You are too involved all the time and all this time off helped me to realise everything I achieved.

“What I can say is I know myself much better and that’s the most important thing.”

Seen as an aloof and intense champion before retiring, Henin looks and talks like someone far more relaxed and at peace with the world.

While away from the game, Henin didn’t watch a set of tennis for the first 12 months and appeared in a French reality TV show and soap opera, and also travelled to the Congo and Cambodia as a UNESCO ambassador.

“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.

“I really needed to come out of this bubble. The tennis world is a small world. There are so many things around that and I never realised that before.

“To come back to my passion, to what I love so much, after this part of my life is such a great feeling.”

Henin has already shown she’s more than capable, beating Russian Nadia Petrova in straight sets in an exhibition match in Cairo a fortnight ago.

The 2004 Australian Open champion is a wildcard in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and is relishing the chance to find her rhythm as a surprise packet in her comeback tournament.

“Of course I will need some time to be 100 per cent to be the level I was when I stopped my career but I’m ready to live anything here.”

Tags: Justine Henin

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