Searching for answers on heels of Henin's stunning retirement

Justine Henin leaves tennis having won three consecutive French Open titles. Jessica Kluetmeier/SI Jon Wertheim's Mailbag Jon Wertheim will answer questions from SI.com users in his mailbag every Wednesday. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND Follow Jon Wertheim on Twitter

In the wake of the news that Justine Henin is retiring, SI.com caught up with tennis writer Jon Wertheim to get his reaction.

Q: What do you make of today's announcement?

JW: It is, at once, stunning and not all that surprising. Any time the top-ranked player -- who's 25 years old and the three-time defending champion of the next Grand Slam -- abruptly retires, it's obviously a bombshell announcement. At the same time, Henin has really struggled this year. She's shown very little resemblance to the player who dominated the second half of 2007. She's never been motivated by the trappings of celebrity. I think in her mind, if she's not winning or playing to her expectations, there's little incentive to continue on.

Q: What's happened to her this year?

JW: You know, something just seems to have gone out of her. For as much as people rave, rightfully so, about her one-handed slingshot backhand or her well-rounded game, I always thought her biggest asset was her guts. She was just such a courageous player. Yet this year, she wasn't just losing but she was playing with a noticeable absence of fire and confidence. Most recently I saw her get blown off the court by Serena Williams in Key Biscayne. The score was 6-2, 6-0 and it wasn't that close. In the postmatch interview, Henin owned up to a lack of courage. I thought this was a stunning admission from her. Particularly given the opponent.

Q: Is it mental or physical?

JW: I think in sports today, it's increasingly hard to divorce the two. Tennis can be an excruciating sport mentally; all the more so when you're rehabbing injuries or favoring certain muscles or worrying about rationing your energy. It's easy to see how a player such as Henin, who has been curtailing her schedule for years now and has battled all manner of injury and ailment, just a reached a point where enough was enough.

Q: This is a player who had a childhood filled with tragedy, who missed last year Australian's Open because of her divorce, who recently reunited with her family. How much do you sense the personal drama has impacted this decision?

JW: Her coach, Carlos Rodriguez, said repeatedly last year that he had never seen his protégé so content and so happy, and it translated to her success on the court. So who knows? I think there's a temptation to play pop psychologist and say that either her personal drama exacted an inevitable price on her game. Or else, the perspective she's picked up having to endure so much personal hardship has diminished the importance of tennis. But honestly, who knows?

Q: What does the WTA Tour do about this?

JW: Well, this has been a rough stretch for the women's game. Kim Clijsters, a recent No. 1 player, retired roughly a year ago. Barely six months ago, Martina Hingis retired. After years of inactivity, Monica Seles officially retired in February. But this is different. Here, we're talking about the No. 1 player in the world who, notionally anyway, should be in the prime of her career. The good thing about tennis -- sports in general, I suppose -- is that there's always another athlete ready to fill a void. But, yes, this is a real loss for the WTA.

Q: Will we see her again?

JW: Tennis is starting to rival boxing in terms of comebacks. It's the rare player who stays "retired" these days. When Lindsay Davenport can retire, have a child and then return, it speaks volumes about: a) just how addictive competition can be and b) how possible it is for the top players to return to prominence in a short period of time. Again, Henin is an interesting case because she's always had such unique motivations and rhythms. But it's very easy to envision her taking even a year or two off, returning at age 26 or 27, and resuming her success.

Q: With Henin out of the picture, who do you see winning the French Open in a couple of weeks?

JW: That's one of the ironies. Even given her dismal year, Henin would have likely been the favorite. It's hard to bet against a three-time defending champ. As it stands, the field is wide open. Serena and Maria Sharapova are both obviously strong picks but neither is at her best on clay. Dinara Safina won in Germany last weekend -- beating both Henin and Serena -- but she has a modest track record at Majors. Last year's losing finalist, Ana Ivanovic, is a credible pick and so is Jelena Jankovic. But, really, this field is up for grabs now.