Justine Henin is retiring from tennis. Again.
Henin has announced her retirement from the world of professional tennis for the second time, five days after she lost in the third round of the Australian open to the No. 23 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, 4-6, 6-7 (8).
Citing a lingering right elbow injury, the former world No. 1 first retired in 2008 when she was on top of the tennis world. Henin returned 20 months later and reached the final of the 2010 Australian Open where she lost to Serena Williams.
Following the 2010 tournament in Melbourne, Henin partially tore a ligament in her right elbow when she fell on the grass at Wimbledon. Her game hasn’t been the same since.
"I have undergone several tests the past few days, confirming that my elbow has sustained a lot more damage during my adventure in Australia," she said on her official website.
"It is clear now that I have to accept that my career ends for good," Henin said. "Even if it is hard, very hard, at a time when I came back with enormous fighting spirit."
Currently ranked No. 13 in the world, she had been expected to play for Belgium against the United States in a Fed Cup match next week with Kim Clijsters.
During Henin’s impressive professional tennis career that began in 1999, she won 43 singles titles, including seven grand slams, and reached 12 grand slam finals. She spent 117 weeks ranked as No. 1 in the world. Henin’s overall win-loss record is 527-116.
She won the French Open in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. She won the U.S. Open in 2003 and 2007, and she won the Australian Open in 2004.
