Henin Slips Out the Back Door... again
Justine Henin has retired again, citing the elbow injury that she originally incurred at Wimbledon last year. Doctors tell her that it will not heal.
In a statement, she said, "I spent the last days undergoing various medical tests and they have confirmed that my elbow has been damaged by my adventure in Australia. After my crash at Wimbledon in June, I knew it would be difficult to come back. But I had decided to keep playing and to give everything to overcome the injury. In these recent months I have rarely been spared from the pain, those last months were very hard. Time has passed, and the doubts have grown, and only return to the courts would give me answers. Not the answer I was hoping for... unfortunately. I suffered a lot the last week and every day gave me more and more pain, but I believed that my will would take the upper hand. Today, the examinations are clear and the doctors say formally, my elbow is too fragile and hurt so that my passion and my profession at a high level cannot continue to exist."
I'll have more comments on this at some point in the near future.
posted by Todd Spiker @ 11:19 AM
8 Comments:
Todd,
Please be respectful in your blog entry ('slips out the back door' sounds like a put down to me, sorry). She has drawn enough fire for the timing of her 1st retirement, comeback and this now. It can't be easy being forced into a decision like this on account of an injury.
I'll walk the line, as best I can. It's just that the timing here DOES lead her down that alley again. I've always defended her in the past, though, so I'll reserve the right to at least raise an eyebrow on this one.
But, either way, it won't change how I feel about her or her career. It's been a great ride.
Perception is everything: I have just the opposite opinion--that she could have waited until the Open was over so that the last few days of the event wouldn't be about her. (And I'm looking at a pattern here, not a random event.)
It doesn't really matter, though. I expected this. If Henin cannot perform at the top, there is no reason for her to continue playing and give herself (more) lifelong pain. Her tennis was beautiful, her athleticism most impressive, and she's still one of the great clay players of all time.
One wonders if Sharapova might be looking at all this and mentally cataloging it in the back of her mind, just in case.
Oh, I don't want to go there, and now you've got me wondering.
todd, i am completely sad of the news. there is still so much more justine wanted to do (granted she might not reach there), but her passion was back. now she is forced to retire. i have always loved her fighting attitude on court. her intensity and her focus. her aptitude for changing her game to make her better. sigh.... her game is so beautiful.
sporza: Justine Henin stopt opnieuw met tennissen
www.sporza.be
"We have advised her to quit her career IMMEDIATELY, "says her doctor Johan Bellemans.
"After her last match at the Australian Open, we have taken a scan which showed a significant deterioration in her elbow. The only alternative was a major surgical procedure with a possible recovery of one year."
" Only when Justine would stop her tennis activities, the chances would be reasonable that she can continue to live without pain in everyday life."
I have had serious issues with Henin ever since the famous hand incident in her Roland Garros semi against Serena.
No matter how beautiful and varied her game is, announcing her retirement at the Australian Open's semifinal stage gets only one reaction from me: Good riddance!
Post a Comment
<< Home