The determination that helped Justine Henin beat bigger, stronger opponents time and again was fading.
"I decided," Henin said, "to stop fooling myself and accept it."
Henin retired from tennis Wednesday at age 25, an abrupt ending to a career in which she won seven Grand Slam singles titles and spent more than 100 weeks ranked No. 1.
"I decided," Henin said, "to stop fooling myself and accept it."
Henin retired from tennis Wednesday at age 25, an abrupt ending to a career in which she won seven Grand Slam singles titles and spent more than 100 weeks ranked No. 1.
She announced her decision at a news conference 1½ weeks before the start of the French Open, where she had won the past three titles and four overall.
Put simply, she realized she was burned out, and became the first woman to quit the sport while atop the WTA rankings.
Put simply, she realized she was burned out, and became the first woman to quit the sport while atop the WTA rankings.
"I always based everything on this motivation -- this flame -- that was in me. And once I lost that, I lost many, many things," Henin said.
Her agent, Ken Meyerson, told ESPN.com's Bonnie D. Ford that Henin called him Sunday evening and, in what he described as a "warm" conversation, said, "I've won everything I need to win, I have more money than I can use in three lifetimes, and I don't have the will to play one day more."
Her agent, Ken Meyerson, told ESPN.com's Bonnie D. Ford that Henin called him Sunday evening and, in what he described as a "warm" conversation, said, "I've won everything I need to win, I have more money than I can use in three lifetimes, and I don't have the will to play one day more."
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