Victoria Azarenka
Strong Is Beautiful
Maria Sharapova

Justine Henin

Bel
Residence: Brussels, Belgium
DOB: June 1, 1982
Birthplace: Liège, Belgium
Height: 5' 5 3/4'' (1.67 m)
Weight: 126 lbs. (57 kg)
Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Status: Pro (January 1, 1999) / Retired (January 26, 2011)
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1996 - Played first event of career on ITF Circuit in Spain.

1997 - Won two singles titles on ITF Circuit.

1998 - Won three singles titles and one doubles title on ITF Circuit.

1999 - Turned pro on January 1; won title in first WTA event played at Antwerp (as No.178 WC, d. Pitkowski in final); QF twice; reached 2r twice (incl. Roland Garros); fell 1r twice (incl. US Open); won one singles title on ITF Circuit.

2000 - QF three times; reached 4r once (US Open - made Top 50 debut afterwards) and 2r eight times (incl. Australian Open); fell 1r once (Wimbledon); withdrew from Roland Garros w/arm injury; won one singles title and one doubles title on ITF Circuit.

2001 - First Top 10 season; won first three WTA titles at Gold Coast (d. Farina Elia in final), Canberra (d. Testud in final) and 's-Hertogenbosch (d. Clijsters in final); reached first Grand Slam SF at Roland Garros (l. to Clijsters 26 75 63; led 62 42) and first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon (l. to V.Williams), runner-up twice more, at Hawaii (ret. vs. Testud in final) and Filderstadt (l. to Davenport in final); reached QF at WTA Championships (l. to S.Williams).

2002 - Second Top 10 season; won two WTA titles, at Berlin (d. S.Williams in final) and Linz (d. Stevenson in final); runner-up four times, at Gold Coast, Antwerp, Amelia Island (l. to V.Williams in all three finals) and Rome (l. to S.Williams in final); reached QF at WTA Championships (l. to Clijsters); won lone two WTA doubles titles to date at Gold Coast (w/Shaughnessy) and Zürich (w/Bovina).

2003 - First No.1 season; SF or better in 18 of 19 events played (exception was QF at Miami); won first two Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros (d. S.Williams 62 46 75 in SF, having trailed 4-2 third set; d. Clijsters in final) and US Open (d. Capriati 46 75 76(4) in SF, having trailed 5-3 second set and 5-2 third set; 19 hours later, d. Clijsters in final); other six titles came at Dubai (d. Seles 46 76(4) 75 in final; saved mp at 64 54 down), Charleston (d. S.Williams in final), Berlin (d. Clijsters 64 46 75 in final; saved 3mp down 5-4 third set), San Diego (d. Clijsters in final), Toronto (d. Krasnoroutskaya in final) and Zürich (d. Dokic in final); runner-up three times, at 's-Hertogenbosch (ret. vs. Clijsters in final w/left wrist and finger sprain), Leipzig (l. to Myskina in final) and Filderstadt (l. to Clijsters in final); reached SF at WTA Championships (l. to Mauresmo); began year at No.5, moved to No. 4 after Australian Open, to No.3 after Roland Garros, to No.2 after US Open and finally No.1 after winning Zürich (October 20).

2004 - Another Top 10 season; started year with three WTA titles at Sydney (d. Mauresmo in final), Australian Open (d. Clijsters in final) and Dubai (d. Kuznetsova in final) then ran streak to 16 matches to reach SF at Doha (l. to Kuznetsova); won fourth title of year at Indian Wells (d. Davenport in final) then reached SF at Amelia Island (l. to Mauresmo 67(4) 75 63; led 5-2 second set; stated felt weak during loss); withdrew from Charleston w/hypoglycemia and from Berlin and Rome w/cytomegalovirus; fell 2r in Roland Garros title defense (l. to Garbin; earliest exit for No.1 seed there since seedings introduced in 1925); withdrew from 's-Hertogenbosch and Wimbledon for recovery; still suffering from cytomegalovirus, withdrew from San Diego and Montréal; played for first time since May at Olympics (d. Mauresmo in final for gold medal); fell 4r at US Open (l. to Petrova) and on September 13 rankings dropped to No.4, ending 45-week reign at No.1; withdrew from Filderstadt, Zürich and WTA Championships w/cytomegalovirus.

2005 - Another Top 10 season; after withdrawing from Sydney, Australian Open, Doha and Dubai w/right knee injury, made season debut (after seven-month lay-off) in March at Miami, reaching QF (l. to Sharapova); then went on 24-match win streak on clay, winning four titles at Charleston (d. Dementieva in final), Warsaw (d. Kuznetsova in final), Berlin (d. Petrova in final) and Roland Garros (saved 2mp in third set of 76(6) 46 75 win over Kuznetsova in 4r; d. Pierce in final); was second Roland Garros champion in Open Era to save mp en route (after Myskina, who saved mp vs. Kuznetsova in 4r in 2004); only fourth woman to have unbeaten run on clay that ended in Roland Garros title, after Evert (1974-75), Graf (1987), Seles (1990); after withdrawing from Eastbourne w/right hamstring strain, fell 1r at Wimbledon (to Daniilidou); after withdrawing from San Diego w/right hamstring injury, made summer hardcourt debut at Toronto (l. to Clijsters in final); at US Open, l. in 4r to Pierce; after withdrawing from Luxembourg w/right hamstring strain, played only match of fall at Filderstadt (l. to Pennetta), then withdrew from Zürich, Linz and WTA Championships w/right hamstring strain.

2006 - Second No.1 season; won second straight Roland Garros title (d. Kuznetsova in final to become first player to win without dropping a set since Sánchez-Vicario in 1994) and first WTA Championships title (went 2-1 in RR, falling to Mauresmo; d. Sharapova in SF then Mauresmo in final); on November 13 year-end rankings rose from No.3 to No.1, her first time on top since 2004 US Open fortnight; runner-up at Australian Open (ret. vs. Mauresmo in final w/GI illness trailing 61 20, only second time in Open Era a player has ret. in a major final), Wimbledon (l. to Mauresmo 26 63 64 in final) and US Open (l. to Sharapova in final); won four more titles at Sydney (d. Schiavone 46 75 75 in final; trailed 4-1 second set and 5-3 third set), Dubai (d. Sharapova in final), Eastbourne (d. Myskina in final), New Haven (won when Davenport ret. down 60 10 in final w/right shoulder strain); also runner-up at Berlin (l. to Petrova); member of Belgian Fed Cup team that d. Russia in World Group 1r but l. to Italy in final (d. Pennetta, Schiavone in singles rubbers; w/Flipkens, ret. in doubles rubber vs. Schiavone/Vinci w/right knee injury).

2007 - Third No.1 season; won 10 of 14 events played and became first in WTA history to win over $5 million in a season (since surpassed by S.Williams' 2009 earnings); 10 titles included sixth and seventh Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros (d. Ivanovic in final; second player to claim three straight titles there in Open Era (Seles, 1990-1992) and US Open (d. Kuznetsova in final; d. S.Williams in QF and V.Williams in SF, first player to d. both Williams sisters in same Grand Slam and go on to win title, and just second after Hingis to d. both at a Grand Slam at all); one of 10 women to win seven or more Grand Slam singles titles in Open Era (also King, Court, Goolagong, Navratilova, Evert, Graf, S.Williams, V.Williams); other eight titles came at Dubai (d. Mauresmo in final), Doha (d. Kuznetsova in final; saved mp down 5-4 third set of QF win over Schnyder), Warsaw (d. A.Bondarenko in final), Eastbourne (d. Mauresmo 75 67(4) 76(2) in final; trailed 4-2 and 5-3 third set), Toronto (d. Jankovic in final), Stuttgart, Zürich (d. Golovin in both finals) and WTA Championships (went 3-0 in RR; d. Ivanovic in SF then Sharapova in final); 10 titles was first double digit season tally since Hingis' 12 in 1997; 5-0 record at WTA Championships improved her win streak to 25 matches, a personal best and the longest on WTA since V.Williams' 35 in 2000; four losses in phenomenal 63-4 record (a .940 winning percentage - highest since Graf's .977 season in 1989) came at Paris [Indoors] (in first event of year after missing Australian swing w/personal reasons; l. to Safarova in SF), Miami (l. to S.Williams 06 75 63 in final; held 2mp at 60 54), Berlin (l. to Kuznetsova 64 57 64 in SF; had completed QF win earlier in day) and Wimbledon (l. to Bartoli 16 75 61 in SF; led 61 53); no pre-SF losses all season; spent all but seven weeks of the season ranked No.1 (Sharapova held it for seven weeks after Australian Open); first woman to pass $5 million in season earnings ($5,429,586), passing previous all-time record holder Clijsters' $4,466,345 from 2003; withdrew from Sydney and Australian Open w/personal reasons.

2008 - Went 16-4 from January to May, winning 40th and 41st WTA titles at Sydney (d. Kuznetsova in final) and Antwerp (d. Knapp in final); QF three times, at Australian Open (l. to Sharapova, ending 32-match win streak), Dubai (l. to Schiavone) and Miami (l. to S.Williams 62 60; most lopsided loss for a reigning world No.1 since Hingis l. to Dokic in 1999 Wimbledon 1r by same score); reached 3r at Berlin (l. to Safina); withdrew from Rome w/fatigue then announced retirement from WTA on May 14 (first player ever to retire at No.1).

2009 - Did not play; in September, announced full comeback to WTA, to start at beginning of 2010.

2010 - Stellar comeback season later marred by injury (finished No.12); went 32-8 in first half of season, best results being finals in first two events at Brisbane (l. to Clijsters 63 46 76(6); held 2mp at 5-4 third set) and Australian Open (l. to S.Williams) and winning 42nd and 43rd WTA titles at Stuttgart (d. Stosur in final) and 's-Hertogenbosch (d. Petkovic in final); SF at Miami (l. to Clijsters 76 third set); reached 4r twice, at Roland Garros (l. to Stosur) and Wimbledon (l. to Clijsters); reached 2r once, at Indian Wells (l. to Dulko); fell 1r once, at Madrid (l. to Rezai); having begun season unranked (unranked WC in first three events at Brisbane, Australian Open and Indian Wells), emerged from last event of season at No.13 on July 5 (after Wimbledon); withdrew from all post-Wimbledon events w/right elbow injury (Cincinnati, US Open, Beijing) and finished at No.12 on November 8 year-end rankings; also withdrew from Sydney w/left gluteal strain.

2011 - Reached 3r at Australian Open (l. to Kuznetsova); announced retirement from WTA on January 26.
SINGLES
Winner (43): 2010 - Stuttgart, 's-Hertogenbosch; 2008 - Sydney, Antwerp; 2007 - Dubai, Doha, Warsaw, Roland Garros, Eastbourne, Toronto, US Open, Stuttgart, Zürich, WTA Championships; 2006 - Sydney, Dubai, Roland Garros, Eastbourne, New Haven, WTA Championships; 2005 - Charleston, Warsaw, Berlin, Roland Garros; 2004 - Australian Open, Sydney, Dubai, Indian Wells, Olympics; 2003 - Roland Garros, Dubai, Charleston, Berlin, San Diego, Toronto, US Open, Zürich; 2002 - Berlin, Linz; 2001 - Gold Coast, Canberra, 's-Hertogenbosch; 2000 - ITF/Liège-BEL; 1999 - Antwerp, ITF/Reims-FRA; 1998 - ITF/Gelos-FRA, ITF/Grenelefe-USA, ITF/Ramat Hasharon-ISR; 1997 - ITF/Le Touquet-FRA, ITF/Koksijde-BEL.
Finalist (18): 2010 - Brisbane, Australian Open; 2007 - Miami; 2006 - Australian Open, Berlin, Wimbledon, US Open; 2005 - Toronto; 2003 - 's-Hertogenbosch, Leipzig, Filderstadt; 2002 - Gold Coast, Antwerp, Amelia Island, Rome; 2001 - Wimbledon, Hawaii, Filderstadt.

DOUBLES
Winner (2): 2002 - Gold Coast (w/Shaughnessy), Zürich (w/Bovina); 2000 - ITF/Cergy Pontoise-FRA (w/Razzano); 1998 - ITF/Ramat Hasharon-ISR (w/Clijsters).
Finalist (1): 2001 - Filderstadt (w/Shaughnessy).

ADDITIONAL
Belgian Fed Cup Team 1999-03, 2006, 2010; Belgian Olympic Team 2004.
Coached by Carlos Rodríguez since age 14 ... Favorite surface is clay; backhand is strongest shot ... Favorite place to visit is Montréal, where her godfather lives ... Most admires Steffi Graf for elegance on court and all she accomplished ... Took up skydiving following 2004 Olympic win ... Hobbies include cinema and music.
- Created her own charity, Justine's Winners' Circle, in December 2003, to provide joy and hope to children with cancer; original French name is "Les Vingt Coeurs de Justine", which translates into "the 20 hearts of Justine"; "vingt coeurs" in French sounds like "vainqueurs", which means "winners"; the charity gives financial assistance to families, grants child cancer patients their wishes and organizes meetings with Justine herself.
- Awards received for tennis achievements include WTA Comeback Player Of The Year (2010); 2008 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year (just third female tennis player to win the award, after Capriati and S.Williams in 2001 and 2002); 2007 WTA Player of the Year (presented in Miami in March 2008); Great Cross of the Order of the Crown (given to her and Clijsters on February 16, 2004, by Belgian King Albert II, with Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt in attendance, at the Royal Palace in Brussels); 2003 Player of the Year from the International Tennis Writers Association (alongside Federer); 2003 Sanex Hero of the Year (internet vote of over 30,000 fans worldwide); alongside Clijsters, 2002 Trophée National du Merite Sportif from Belgian government (just second time since 1933, when award began, that tennis has been honoured - last time was 1957; and first time given to women tennis players); 1997 Trophy 40-15 as Belgium's most popular tennis personality; also nominated for 2004 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year and 2004 ESPY Awards for Best Female Athlete and Best Female Tennis Player.
- Awards received for charitable work include 2005 Family Circle/State Farm "Player Who Makes A Difference" award for her efforts in making a difference in lives of those less fortunate; 2003 Commitment to Community Award from The Florida Times-Union/Waters Edge Magazine at Amelia Island (in recognition of her contributions to Make-A-Wish Foundation).
- Magazine appearances incl. appearing on July 5, 2004 Forbes Magazine Celebrity 100 list at No.81 (S.Williams was at No.63, V.Williams at No.77, Kournikova at No.82 and Clijsters at No.84) and featuring on cover of Belgian magazine La Libre Match in 2002.
- To celebrate Tour's 30th Anniversary, attended ceremony at 2003 Tour Championships that honored 13 world No.1 champions (past and present), and founding members of the Tour.
- Explained to crowd following first Grand Slam at 2003 Roland Garros: "I dedicate this to my mother (deceased, 1995) because when I came here with her 11 years ago I said, 'One day I'll be on that court and maybe I'll win.' And today I did."; following win, met with Belgian royal family (including King Albert II, Queen Paola and Crown Prince Philippe) and later appeared before a cheering crowd on balcony of Brussels' 15th-century city hall, the first sports figure to receive such fanfare since the Belgian soccer team (which included Clijsters' father, Leo) returned from the 1986 World Cup semifinals; following 2001 Roland Garros SF appearance, was invited to Belgium's Royal Palace.
- Junior highlights incl. winning U14s at 1996 Orange Bowl and 1996 European Championships and winning 1997 Roland Garros (as WC; was first Belgian to win there since 1947); in 1997 became youngest winner of Belgian National Championships aged 15 years, two months (d. Top 40 pro Van Roost).
- Tour mentor was Virginia Ruzici in Partners for Success program, the mentor division of the Tour's Professional Development Program.