Justine Henin, one of the best tennis players of all time in the women’s circuit, is all set to share her experience and journey with the Indian players during the French Open junior wild card tournament to be staged at the DLTA Complex from April 29.
“I am very happy and excited. It is a great opportunity to promote the Grand Slam that I love and talk about the advantages of clay court tennis, which is not that popular in India.
“I am sure the Indian kids will have a lot of questions. I will be ready to answer all of them,” said the seven-time Grand Slam champion and the Athens Olympics gold medallist.
Speaking to The Hindu over phone from home, Henin said that it was a great opportunity for the juniors to get a taste of the Grand Slam early in their career so that they can nurse their dreams and work towards realising them.
Support needed
“Junior career is very important. You can’t do it alone. You need all the support from the parents, coaches, national federation, sponsors etc.
“When you get the taste of Grand Slam, you realise that you have to work very hard to be a top professional. The first experience of a Grand Slam is something you never forget. I remember the first time I went to play at the Roland Garros.
“I told myself that one day I would be the women’s champion there. It is a great opportunity for the juniors to play them,” said Henin.
The torch-bearer of the Indian women’s tennis, six-time Grand Slam champion, Sania Mirza had played Henin at the Australian Open in 2011, and stretched her to three sets.
The Belgian recalled Sania as a “great player in doubles, regular in Grand Slams, always smiling, and with nice words.”
Many reasons
Henin said that there could be many reasons for India not being able to produce another women’s player of Sania’s calibre, who reached No. 27 in singles and stayed as No.1 in doubles for a long time.
Having won four French Open titles, two US Open and one Australian Open, apart from winning the Olympic gold in Athens and the Federation Cup for Belgium, did Henin miss the Wimbledon trophy?
“Not really,” she said, having twice finished runner-up at Wimbledon, about the trophy that every tennis player longs to hold.
“My love story was with Roland Garros. Once I won the French, I wanted to win another Grand Slam. I know that all the players love Wimbledon. I tried and hoped that I could win there.
“Maybe, I did not because I did not feel that I was good enough on grass. It was perhaps lack of confidence. We were chasing perfection all the time, and improving. But, I am not frustrated. I did the best I could,” she said.
“Would I exchange one of my Roland Garros titles for Wimbledon? I wouldn’t,” said Henin.