Justine Henin has announced her retirement

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/may/14/tennis

At the ripe old age of 25! 


Still - I guess when the desire and motivation has gone......mind you, I lost the desire and motivation for work years ago and I didn't pack in!

I am a bit bummed to hear this.  I think she is fab and had lots more great tennis ahead of her.  I know she overcame a lot of personal and family challenges over the last few years and hopefully she will be happy and fulfilled in her post-tennis life.

It's a shame she didn't have one last Wimbledon in her. A true talent.

It's a shame she didn't have one last Wimbledon in her. A true talent.

I really respect that she chose to go out before it was painfully obvious she should retire.  Leaving at a high(ish) point in her career took a lot of guts.

First Kim Clijsters and now Justine. I really liked them both.

I think this is perhaps my first ever post on the sports board. Tennis is the only sport I follow at all!

I really respect that she chose to go out before it was painfully obvious she should retire.  Leaving at a high(ish) point in her career took a lot of guts.

True. But still sad.

Tennis is the only sport I follow at all!

Me too!

True. But still sad.

Oh, I agree completely.  It just made me think of Andre Agassi's last few matches and how badly I wanted him to go out on a high note.

At the ripe old age of 25! 


Still - I guess when the desire and motivation has gone......mind you, I lost the desire and motivation for work years ago and I didn't pack in!

I presume that you're not a millionaire several times over... that kind of makes it easier to decide that your heart just isn't in it.

(Though the saying in the world of hedge fund management comes to mind: if you're the type of person who says they'll retire once they make 50 million, then you'll never make 50 million.  Becoming that wealthy entails a fair amount of luck, but also a dream and a drive that doesn't just turn out... the fire that lights itself and all that...)

It is a shame, she has one of the best one-handed backhands in the women's game I've ever seen.

What's even worse is that they're talking about Nadal burning out well before time.  I read that he's pretty cheesed off that the Olympics are cutting down on the clay court season, apparently.