Justine Henin
Matching artistry with competitive spirit
Justine Henin was a pioneering player of technical brilliance and mental fortitude.
Elegance on court
Justine Henin’s career, marked by an elegant yet powerful playing style, redefined the boundaries of women’s tennis and inspired a generation of players.
Her journey from talented youngster in Belgium to winner of 43 singles titles, including seven Grand Slam® crowns, was the result of a relentless dedication to developing her skills.
Justine Henin embraced tennis at an early age as her family lived close to a club in Belgium.
In her youth, her mother regularly took her across the border to go watch Roland-Garros, a tournament that would go on to be very important in her career. It was there, in 1997, that she won the junior girls singles title. After turning pro in May 1999 aged 16, she won the Belgian Open, becoming only the fifth player to win on her WTA debut.
By 2001, Henin had established herself as a player to be reckoned with. She broke through two years later, showcasing her mastery on clay to win the first of four Roland-Garros singles titles, and later that season lifted the US Open trophy. Weeks later she topped the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings and finished as year-end No. 1, a feat she would go on to repeat in 2006 and 2007. In 2004, Henin added an Australian Open title and took Olympic gold. She won three consecutive Roland-Garros titles from 2005, and in 2007 added a second US Open crown. The following year, while still ranked World No. 1, Henin retired to great surprise. She made a successful comeback in 2010, reaching the Australian Open final and winning in Stuttgart and ’s-Hertogenbosch, before retiring permanently in 2011.
Henin had a huge impact on tennis and is thought by some to have had the best backhand across the women’s and men’s game. She was admired for her ability to outmanoeuvre stronger opponents with clever tactics and shot selection. Henin’s 117-week reign as World No. 1 and two WTA Finals victories cement her legacy as one of the all-time greats. In 2016 Henin was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and in 2023 received the International Tennis Federation’s highest honour, the Philippe Chatrier Award. She now shares her experience as a TV pundit and devotes time to her tennis academy and her foundation, Justine for Kids, dedicated to helping sick children.
Justin Henin became a Rolex Testimonee in 2001.