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Engaging Henin keeps a promise
LONDON -- Not long before her mother Francoise died of cancer, Justine Henin sat alongside her at the French Open and told her that one day she would be out there making a name for herself in the biggest tennis arenas. Justine has been true to her word. The 19-year-old Belgian has the sweetness of a child but the instincts of a swashbuckling warrior. Don't let the petite build and smiley nature fool you. This girl has enough power to help alleviate California's energy crisis. Just ask Jennifer Capriati, who was on the receiving end of the Belgian bombardment from the middle of the second set of Thursday's quarterfinal.
Spanish player Juan Carlos Ferrero is nicknamed the Mosquito thanks to his slight build, quick court coverage and ultimate bite. Henin could quite easily borrow the tag until she gets one of her own. Not that size is something to concern the lady from Liege. "No. I don't mind about my size ... we don't have to be very strong to win matches," she replied. "I'm not afraid of the size. I play already against Davenport, Williams, Capriati, everybody. I think I don't mind about this kind of player because I can move well on court, I'm so fast. I can also be a strong player when I want."
Stronger mentally now as well. In this year's French Open semifinals, Henin lost to her compatriot Kim Clijsters after surrendering a one set and 4-2 lead. She's clearly a fast learner, producing a similar reversal of fortunes in the Wimbledon semis. Henin once said that if she wasn't a tennis player she might work in the media. Perhaps that's why she agreed to all interview requests after her fabulous win over Capriati. Perhaps she just wanted to shout it from the rooftops as many times as she could. It's not every day you reach your first Grand Slam final. The more success that comes, the more the media requests can become a hindrance. Maybe journalistic Justine won't go down that route. We, on this side of the fence, can only hope the accommodating nature remains. I have every hope for her becoming a major star of the sport -- and not just because of an on-court flair, which is simply exquisite, but because Henin also seems so terribly well grounded. Her pet peeves are listed as "people who are late" and "hangers-on in the tennis world." Both, especially the latter, are admirable peeves, wouldn't you say? She also admires her father Jose for his sense of humor and says Steffi Graf is the player she most admired "for her elegance on court and all she accomplished in her career." One senses there are many accomplishments ahead for Henin, but she already has one major achievement to her credit -- honoring the memory of her mother by fulfilling the solemn vow she made to her as a child at Roland Garros.
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