Don't feel sorry for Justine ( article)

A

AeonT

Guest
Bellyacher!!!!
by Peter Bodo
Posted 1/28/2006 @ 1:34 AM

Justine Henin-Hardenne committed the most significant and flagrant act of poor sportsmanship I’ve witnessed in nearly 30 years of covering pro tennis today. I urge you to read the interview transcripts when they’re posted on the Australian Open website (I think Henin-Hardenne’s is up already) and evaluate for yourself.

All I can make of any of it, here in Melbourne, is that Justine had a bellyache, and she was being badly outplayed by an Amelie Mauresmo who was in full control of her game and emotions. So Justine decided to quit, because . . . well, because it's all about Justine, all the time.

It was a disgrace.

Justine’s interview transcript is very telling, because there’s not even a smidgen of volunteered sympathy for Mauresmo,not an ounce of compassion for the way she was robbed of the finest moment of her career - watching her match point called as she earned the first Grand Slam title. In a post a long time ago, I called H-H a “demented dwarf”; in fact, this week, a comment poster somewhere along the way chided me for having done that. I had second thoughts for a moment. Adios, second thoughts.

How’s this for a money quote from Henin-Hardenne. When asked how she would answer those who would say she should have finished the match, she replied:


I mean, everyone has the right to think that. But it’s my health. I just have to think about myself right now because it’s only me on the court. It’s me that is feeling the bad way I was feeling. I don’t care what these people would say.

There you have it. I have to think about myself right now . . .

You know, it’d be one thing if Justine had broken a leg, or even if she were so ill she fainted, or was forced to vomit (a la Pete Sampras, or Andy Murray) on court. She never even got to that that point. When I ran into Patrick McEnroe, just moments after H-H quit, he said: “She just pulled a Roberto Duran. She got sick of getting her butt kicked and said, ‘No more.'”

There’s no way around this, folks: H-H was well enough to start the match, well enough to see if she could turn the tide in the second set after being blitzed in the first, well enough to see if Mauresmo would show signs of losing her resolve, well enough to play a great 33-stroke rally before calling for the trainer shortly before she cried, "No mas!"

However, she apparently was not well enough to accept the inevitable, and allow Mauresmo the full glory and all the small satisfactions that rain down on you when you’re standing at the net, waiting to shake hands, with 15,000 people giving you a standing ovation for playing one of the most artful, purposeful, accomplished finals in recent history.

Not well enough for that . . . and I guess she was just barely, marginally, on-the-cusply well enough to realize that the last thing she wanted to do was lose a Grand Slam final to Amelie Maueresmo 6-1, 6-1.

Want more self-absorbed garbage from Justine? Here:


I just really tried to stay in the match, but there was no chance for me. If I would have keep playing and continue, maybe I would injure something else, so that was the best decision, even if it was very, very, very hard for me.

Yeah. Very, very, very hard for . . .me.

Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

What about the 15,000 fans and world-wide tennis audience? What about Amelie Mauresmo? What about the credibility of the game (just what tennis needs, a player who quits in the middle of a Grand Slam final because her stomach hurts!) – and the credibility of the women's game? Because if you’ve been reading the newspapers down here, you know that a lot of folks have been looking at the scores and match durations in the two singles draws and saying, “No way the women deserve equal money!” Boy, are they going to have a field day with this!

Aaaaarrrraaggghhhh! That’s all I can say.

And in a narrow way for me, the worst thing about it is that I should be writing about how gracefully and artfully Mauresmo got the Grand Slam monkey off her back. How well she acquitted herself in a final against one of the toughest competitors (ha-ha-ha!) in the game. How much Mauresmo enjoyed that amazing moment when she finally crossed the clearly defined finish line of match point, in her race to be a fully realized Grand Slam champ.

For that, I deeply resent Henin-Hardenne.

If you check the transcript of Mauresmo’s interview, you’ll see that someone asked her a long question having to do with the way she walked over and sat down with Justine right after the match, to talk. That was Mary Carillo, and the point she was making underscores a lot of what I’ve said here. Amelie didn’t entirely get Mary’s point, but it’s worth reading that exchange, because Mary was saying that Amelie has character and compassion, Justine has nothing but self-absorption.

I asked Henin-Hardenne, near the end of the presser, if she felt sorry that Amelie didn’t get to experience the moment of winning a championship at all. Her reply?


First feeling sorry for myself, and then I can feel sorry for her. Yeah, it’s great when you win a Grand Slam after a big fight, for sure, after a normal match. But I’m sure she enjoys this moment, and she deserve that.

How gracious of you, Justine! Hollower words were never spoken.

I believe the ITF and/or WTA should levy an enormous fine against Justine (don’t hold your breath) and issue a general apology to the international public for putting on an event that ended this way. Sure, all the blame should be laid on Justine, but what’s that going to accomplish?

Like she said, she doesn’t care what the people think.

-----------
 

pound cat

G.O.A.T.
Taken with a grain of salt. Peter Bodo is a ***t disturber and his writing is classic yellow journalism. The term was coined in the early 20th century in the uSA to describe such journalists as Bodo. Sensationalists & self-promoters. No I am not going to buy any of your books, Mr. Bodo!
 

35ft6

Legend
After seeing her play at the WTA Championship, I admit that I went from being emphatically ambivalent of Mauresmo to becoming a big fan. She really does seem like a big sweetheart, and her game was beautiful in person. Not just the strokes, but the way she attacks the net. Another thing I noticed is that her and Elena had the most feminine bodies in the tournament. In person, Amelie could be described as being "coltish."

Anyway, I've thought Henin was a miserable human being since her French Open match with Serena. I think you're reading a bit too much into her responses, thought.
 
Bodo sucks. His articles that he used to write for "Tennis Magazine" are some of the worst in history. Also his pathetic examples of head to heads between Hingis vs Clijsters and Henin being meaningful, disregarding when they were held, has been already put to waste, so he probably has a stick up his a$s already about that. Poor Bodo, apparently desperate for some validation.
 
N

Nalbandian

Guest
Peter Bodo is right on the money...If you are so much a Henin fan that you can't see the shame of her actions, you need help, seriously...
 
A

Applez

Guest
AeonT said:
Bellyacher!!!!
by Peter Bodo
Posted 1/28/2006 @ 1:34 AM

Justine Henin-Hardenne committed the most significant and flagrant act of poor sportsmanship I’ve witnessed in nearly 30 years of covering pro tennis today. I urge you to read the interview transcripts when they’re posted on the Australian Open website (I think Henin-Hardenne’s is up already) and evaluate for yourself.

All I can make of any of it, here in Melbourne, is that Justine had a bellyache, and she was being badly outplayed by an Amelie Mauresmo who was in full control of her game and emotions. So Justine decided to quit, because . . . well, because it's all about Justine, all the time.

It was a disgrace.

Justine’s interview transcript is very telling, because there’s not even a smidgen of volunteered sympathy for Mauresmo,not an ounce of compassion for the way she was robbed of the finest moment of her career - watching her match point called as she earned the first Grand Slam title. In a post a long time ago, I called H-H a “demented dwarf”; in fact, this week, a comment poster somewhere along the way chided me for having done that. I had second thoughts for a moment. Adios, second thoughts.

How’s this for a money quote from Henin-Hardenne. When asked how she would answer those who would say she should have finished the match, she replied:


I mean, everyone has the right to think that. But it’s my health. I just have to think about myself right now because it’s only me on the court. It’s me that is feeling the bad way I was feeling. I don’t care what these people would say.

There you have it. I have to think about myself right now . . .

You know, it’d be one thing if Justine had broken a leg, or even if she were so ill she fainted, or was forced to vomit (a la Pete Sampras, or Andy Murray) on court. She never even got to that that point. When I ran into Patrick McEnroe, just moments after H-H quit, he said: “She just pulled a Roberto Duran. She got sick of getting her butt kicked and said, ‘No more.'”

There’s no way around this, folks: H-H was well enough to start the match, well enough to see if she could turn the tide in the second set after being blitzed in the first, well enough to see if Mauresmo would show signs of losing her resolve, well enough to play a great 33-stroke rally before calling for the trainer shortly before she cried, "No mas!"

However, she apparently was not well enough to accept the inevitable, and allow Mauresmo the full glory and all the small satisfactions that rain down on you when you’re standing at the net, waiting to shake hands, with 15,000 people giving you a standing ovation for playing one of the most artful, purposeful, accomplished finals in recent history.

Not well enough for that . . . and I guess she was just barely, marginally, on-the-cusply well enough to realize that the last thing she wanted to do was lose a Grand Slam final to Amelie Maueresmo 6-1, 6-1.

Want more self-absorbed garbage from Justine? Here:


I just really tried to stay in the match, but there was no chance for me. If I would have keep playing and continue, maybe I would injure something else, so that was the best decision, even if it was very, very, very hard for me.

Yeah. Very, very, very hard for . . .me.

Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

What about the 15,000 fans and world-wide tennis audience? What about Amelie Mauresmo? What about the credibility of the game (just what tennis needs, a player who quits in the middle of a Grand Slam final because her stomach hurts!) – and the credibility of the women's game? Because if you’ve been reading the newspapers down here, you know that a lot of folks have been looking at the scores and match durations in the two singles draws and saying, “No way the women deserve equal money!” Boy, are they going to have a field day with this!

Aaaaarrrraaggghhhh! That’s all I can say.

And in a narrow way for me, the worst thing about it is that I should be writing about how gracefully and artfully Mauresmo got the Grand Slam monkey off her back. How well she acquitted herself in a final against one of the toughest competitors (ha-ha-ha!) in the game. How much Mauresmo enjoyed that amazing moment when she finally crossed the clearly defined finish line of match point, in her race to be a fully realized Grand Slam champ.

For that, I deeply resent Henin-Hardenne.

If you check the transcript of Mauresmo’s interview, you’ll see that someone asked her a long question having to do with the way she walked over and sat down with Justine right after the match, to talk. That was Mary Carillo, and the point she was making underscores a lot of what I’ve said here. Amelie didn’t entirely get Mary’s point, but it’s worth reading that exchange, because Mary was saying that Amelie has character and compassion, Justine has nothing but self-absorption.

I asked Henin-Hardenne, near the end of the presser, if she felt sorry that Amelie didn’t get to experience the moment of winning a championship at all. Her reply?


First feeling sorry for myself, and then I can feel sorry for her. Yeah, it’s great when you win a Grand Slam after a big fight, for sure, after a normal match. But I’m sure she enjoys this moment, and she deserve that.

How gracious of you, Justine! Hollower words were never spoken.

I believe the ITF and/or WTA should levy an enormous fine against Justine (don’t hold your breath) and issue a general apology to the international public for putting on an event that ended this way. Sure, all the blame should be laid on Justine, but what’s that going to accomplish?

Like she said, she doesn’t care what the people think.

-----------


Wow! I agree with him
 

BjornBorg

Banned
Applez, you don't need to have the entire post put down again to give your response--especially as long as it is. Just for future reference.
 

Keifers

Legend
Whether you agree with Bodo's complaints about H-H or not, I think he described Amelie's play beautifully:

"one of the most artful, purposeful, accomplished finals in recent history."

How true!
 
N

Nalbandian

Guest
35ft6 said:
Anyway, I've thought Henin was a miserable human being since her French Open match with Serena. I think you're reading a bit too much into her responses, thought.

True.

You know, Justine is not even arrogant: She is too selfish to be. She just does not care about anything, anybody but her.

Justine Henin does not care about anyone else in life but her. She does what she wants all the time, without any regard to anything else.

She is a disgrace and rightfully resented by the vaste majority of the tennis world for her lack of proper character.
 

Max G.

Legend
Keifers said:
"one of the most artful, purposeful, accomplished finals in recent history."

How true!

...hm, I was about to disagree, saying that a final that lopsided can't be "artful, purposeful", but then I thought back on some of the other finals that we've seen recently and realized that Mauresmo does show more "art" even in a one-sided victory than all other recent finalists show even in closely-fought matches...
 

Max G.

Legend
Nalbandian said:
True.

You know, Justine is not even arrogant: She is too selfish to be. She just does not care about anything, anybody but her.

Justine Henin does not care about anyone else in life but her. She does what she wants all the time, without any regard to anything else.
We don't know that.

I would guess that she cares about her friends and relatives, but doesn't care about people that are strangers.

Then again, I don't really know Justine, so maybe she really is a heartless b*tch.
 

goober

Legend
Now that the AUS Open is over for the women, I find that I like Hingis a lot more and JHH and lot less than I did before the start of the tourney.

Swiss Miss > belgian tank job with a beautiful backhand.
 

Keifers

Legend
Max G. said:
...hm, I was about to disagree, saying that a final that lopsided can't be "artful, purposeful", but then I thought back on some of the other finals that we've seen recently and realized that Mauresmo does show more "art" even in a one-sided victory than all other recent finalists show even in closely-fought matches...
Max G., I think Bodo was talking about the final that Amelie was playing. She had her gameplan and was executing it perfectly.
 
God the same 3 people just keep on having to talk about the same thing. You all are such a broken record...just STOP. If you are going to whine about JHH, at LEAST have the courtesy to do it in one thread as opposed to roughly 9.
 

Ace&Gary

New User
Gary: This was no match that will ever be watched on ESPN Classics. Good god, Amelie Mauresmo is a man. She scares me.

Ace: Amelie Mauresmo could sissy slap both of us silly.

Gary: They shouldn't let men play in the WTA.
 

Steve Huff

G.O.A.T.
At first, i was reluctant to agree. After all, she's a pro, and pro's basically worry only about money. But, after thinking about it more, I think what Henin did was truly "unprofessional". She said that she didn't have anything left to give, that she knew she couldn't win, so why should she keep playing. Well, here's why. You are a professional. People pay to see you play and to watch a match--an entire match. Whether you win, lose, win by a landslide or get trampled, you fight to the very end. I saw the Lakers once beat the Celtics. At the end of the 3rd quarter, the score was 120-- to 40-- something. The announcers were commenting that the Celts could be held to less than 50 points. Did they pull their team off the court at the end of 3. No, they got crushed 150 some to 60. Worst playoff marging ever. I've see bowlers who by the 6th frame had too many opens to win the game. Mathmatically, they could NOT catch up. Did they just refuse to roll the last 4 frames. Of course not. They finished the game out. There have been too many incidents to count in which one person or one team just cannot win, but they don't just quit. Justine, based solely on what YOU said in your interview, I hope the WTA fines you heavily.
 

Ace&Gary

New User
Steve Huff said:
Well, here's why. You are a professional. People pay to see you play and to watch a match--an entire match. Whether you win, lose, win by a landslide or get trampled, you fight to the very end.

Gary: Steve is 100% correct.

Gary: JHH didn't earn her $400,000.00.
 

Deuce

Banned
Good perspective, Steve.

Did Bodo write every word that's in post #1?
If so, for a professional writer, that's some terrible writing. It's written as if it's just some tennis fan posting a rant on a message board. Brutal.
 
AeonT said:
Bellyacher!!!!
by Peter Bodo
Posted 1/28/2006 @ 1:34 AM

Justine Henin-Hardenne committed the most significant and flagrant act of poor sportsmanship I’ve witnessed in nearly 30 years ....

This dude never watched Connors or McEnroe obviously.
Or wait, they were U.S., weren't they .... ?

Aahhh ......
 
N

Nalbandian

Guest
Michael Haller said:
This dude never watched Connors or McEnroe obviously.
Or wait, they were U.S., weren't they .... ?

Aahhh ......


Yeah, he only watched your buddy Gunther Parche...NA-ZII boy
 
Steve Huff said:
At first, i was reluctant to agree. After all, she's a pro, and pro's basically worry only about money. But, after thinking about it more, I think what Henin did was truly "unprofessional". She said that she didn't have anything left to give, that she knew she couldn't win, so why should she keep playing. Well, here's why. You are a professional. People pay to see you play and to watch a match--an entire match. Whether you win, lose, win by a landslide or get trampled, you fight to the very end. I saw the Lakers once beat the Celtics. At the end of the 3rd quarter, the score was 120-- to 40-- something. The announcers were commenting that the Celts could be held to less than 50 points. Did they pull their team off the court at the end of 3. No, they got crushed 150 some to 60. Worst playoff marging ever. I've see bowlers who by the 6th frame had too many opens to win the game. Mathmatically, they could NOT catch up. Did they just refuse to roll the last 4 frames. Of course not. They finished the game out. There have been too many incidents to count in which one person or one team just cannot win, but they don't just quit. Justine, based solely on what YOU said in your interview, I hope the WTA fines you heavily.


Well, we know that the WTA is extremely U.S. dominated and therefore usually harsh on non-U.S. players (while giving U.S. players some slack most often). But I don't think they will dare to fine Henin. Henin's lawsuit against them would be bad press, IMO.
 
N

Nalbandian

Guest
Michael Haller said:
Well, we know that the WTA is extremely U.S. dominated and therefore usually harsh on non-U.S. players (while giving U.S. players some slack most often). But I don't think they will dare to fine Henin. Henin's lawsuit against them would be bad press, IMO.

I wonder why pro female tennis players from Europe (particularly Belgium and Germany) are a bunch of sore losers and cheaters...

They should ban that little dwarf Henin...
 
A

AeonT

Guest
Nalbandian said:
I wonder why pro female tennis players from Europe (particularly Belgium and Germany) are a bunch of sore losers and cheaters...

They should ban that little dwarf Henin...

Justine idolized the wrong people that's why she's in this mess!
 
AeonT said:
Justine idolized the wrong people that's why she's in this mess!


I don't think so.
She idolised Graf.
Clijsters did the same, BTW.

What better role model is there than the "Goddess of Tennis" herself?
Graf was the "epitome of class, dignity and grace" (Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee).
I like it very much that the Belgians idolised Steffi Graf!
 
N

Nalbandian

Guest
Michael Haller said:
I don't think so.
She idolised Graf.
Clijsters did the same, BTW.

What better role model is there than the "Goddess of Tennis" herself?
Graf was the "epitome of class, dignity and grace" (Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee).
I like it very much that the Belgians idolised Steffi Graf!


Graf? the cold robotic clam personality knife #1? goddess of nose? a horrible role model!!!
 

West Coast Ace

G.O.A.T.
Michael Haller said:
This dude never watched Connors or McEnroe obviously.
Or wait, they were U.S., weren't they .... ?

Aahhh ......
And you can add Nastase to that list.

Except for the fact that most of you are still children, I can't believe the stink over this. Do you think JHH wasn't feeling poorly? Otherwise would you have really enjoyed watching her go through the motions and lose 4 more games in about 12 minutes? Mauresmo still gets the win, her name on the trophy, and the cash, and our respect for playing a great match - the depth of her shots was incredible. But Henin still has 3 more Slam titles than her. And easy for Mauresmo to say she was prepared to 'die' out there after winning and feeling healthy. I've watched her tank a few matches when she was down and out.

As far as I'm concerned she did us a favor - the Bryan Bros. doubles match came on that much earlier.
 
W

williams planet

Guest
Steve Huff said:
At first, i was reluctant to agree. After all, she's a pro, and pro's basically worry only about money. But, after thinking about it more, I think what Henin did was truly "unprofessional". She said that she didn't have anything left to give, that she knew she couldn't win, so why should she keep playing. Well, here's why. You are a professional. People pay to see you play and to watch a match--an entire match. Whether you win, lose, win by a landslide or get trampled, you fight to the very end. I saw the Lakers once beat the Celtics. At the end of the 3rd quarter, the score was 120-- to 40-- something. The announcers were commenting that the Celts could be held to less than 50 points. Did they pull their team off the court at the end of 3. No, they got crushed 150 some to 60. Worst playoff marging ever. I've see bowlers who by the 6th frame had too many opens to win the game. Mathmatically, they could NOT catch up. Did they just refuse to roll the last 4 frames. Of course not. They finished the game out. There have been too many incidents to count in which one person or one team just cannot win, but they don't just quit. Justine, based solely on what YOU said in your interview, I hope the WTA fines you heavily.


Justine is definitely full of it! when the coaching from the sideline didnt help, she went to her next favorite thing..calling the trainer to slow down play and hopefully get amelie out of her rhythm, then when that didnt work..because she got the pants beat off of her..she played tha cowards card and quit to rob Amelie of a proper celebration.. in other words: Justine being Justine..showing what a poor sportswoman she really is.
 
West Coast Ace said:
And you can add Nastase to that list.

Except for the fact that most of you are still children, I can't believe the stink over this. Do you think JHH wasn't feeling poorly? Otherwise would you have really enjoyed watching her go through the motions and lose 4 more games in about 12 minutes? Mauresmo still gets the win, her name on the trophy, and the cash, and our respect for playing a great match - the depth of her shots was incredible. But Henin still has 3 more Slam titles than her. And easy for Mauresmo to say she was prepared to 'die' out there after winning and feeling healthy. I've watched her tank a few matches when she was down and out.

As far as I'm concerned she did us a favor - the Bryan Bros. doubles match came on that much earlier.

I agree wholeheartedly with you post.
 
N

Nalbandian

Guest
williams planet said:
Justine is definitely full of it! when the coaching from the sideline didnt help, she went to her next favorite thing..calling the trainer to slow down play and hopefully get amelie out of her rhythm, then when that didnt work..because she got the pants beat off of her..she played tha cowards card and quit to rob Amelie of a proper celebration.. in other words: Justine being Justine..showing what a poor sportswoman she really is.

100% agree with your post...
 

35ft6

Legend
williams planet said:
Justine is definitely full of it! when the coaching from the sideline didnt help, she went to her next favorite thing..calling the trainer to slow down play and hopefully get amelie out of her rhythm, then when that didnt work..because she got the pants beat off of her..she played tha cowards card and quit to rob Amelie of a proper celebration.. in other words: Justine being Justine..showing what a poor sportswoman she really is.
From what I know, this is probably right. They really need to do something about injury timeouts on the tour. I know it would be tough to enforce fairly, but fraudulent time outs need to be eliminated. Easier said than done, but, especially in the WTA, it's so freakin' predictable. In every big match when a girl is down she calls for a time out. It's become as much a part of tennis strategy as taking the full time allowed between serves and etc.
 

vicnan

Professional
35ft6 said:
From what I know, this is probably right. They really need to do something about injury timeouts on the tour. I know it would be tough to enforce fairly, but fraudulent time outs need to be eliminated. Easier said than done, but, especially in the WTA, it's so freakin' predictable. In every big match when a girl is down she calls for a time out. It's become as much a part of tennis strategy as taking the full time allowed between serves and etc.

Or, allow timeouts for coaching.
 

35ft6

Legend
vicnan said:
Or, allow timeouts for coaching.
I'm totally down for this. Totally down. Allow one 10 minute coaching break right before the last set -- before the 3rd set in a best of three, and right before the 5th set in a best of 5 -- and 5 minute wild card coaching break that can be used anytime during the match. This would add so much drama to a match.
 

vicnan

Professional
35ft6 said:
I'm totally down for this. Totally down. Allow one 10 minute coaching break right before the last set -- before the 3rd set in a best of three, and right before the 5th set in a best of 5 -- and 5 minute wild card coaching break that can be used anytime during the match. This would add so much drama to a match.

and would likely also improve the quality of tennis.
 

35ft6

Legend
^ It's win win.

People have said that the lower ranked players would be at an even greater disadvantage if the few truly qualified coaches out there, the ones only the top guys can afford, were allowed to become a bigger factor DURING the match, but I think for purposes of making adjustments during a match, a lot more people suddenly become qualified coaches.
 

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
I completely agree with Mr. Huff. Justine dogged it. An ankle injury or groin pull or shoulder tear is one thing. A wittle tummy ache is another matter. She showed complete and total disrespect for her opponent. Sampras puked his guts out and managed to win at the US Open. Michael Jordan played, dominated and hit the game winning shot against the Utah Jazz to win the NBA championship, all the while suffering from the flu and a 104 degree temperature. Jack Youngblood played an entire NFL game with a broken leg. She came out to play, saw that she was getting dominated and she surrendered. Truly a "no mas" moment. I used to really, really love JHH's game. The "grease hand" incident at the French gave me pause but this incident puts her at the bottom of the bucket for me.
 

vicnan

Professional
35ft6 said:
I'm totally down for this. Totally down. Allow one 10 minute coaching break right before the last set -- before the 3rd set in a best of three, and right before the 5th set in a best of 5 -- and 5 minute wild card coaching break that can be used anytime during the match. This would add so much drama to a match.

Come to think of it, why can't the coach just sit beside the player/players (doubles)? That way, we can avoid break times which can be a drag for the viewers.
 

Marius_Hancu

Talk Tennis Guru
We as spectators don't have any rights over the health of players (or boxers for that matter).

If they decide to cry "No mas!," it's their right.

We're not talking about gladiators here, hopefully.

Bodo is a nothing, a kibitzer. JHH is someone who achieved something out there, and paid for it with lots of effort.
 

SCSI

Semi-Pro
As far as I can tell, Henin is not a normal person. Perhaps it is her upbrining or her personality, but she clearly operates on a different frequency than most people.

My guess is that she doesn't get why fans would be upset about this, when she is the one who had to make a very very difficult decision and she is the one who derserves the sympathy...
 
Mauresmo strikes me as a goodhearted person; having benefitted from 3 defaults at the AO, she probably realizes that the win felt perhaps a bit tainted even before the final, but that's part of the game and she more than proved her mettle in November at the year-end championship. As for Henin, a popular sports-talk radio personality in NYC captured it best today: she hasn't made a habit of this sort of thing, and she's always been a fighter, so if this is the first time, you have to give her a pass on it and the benefit of the doubt.
 

grind

New User
AeonT: we don't need the transcripts -- those of us watching the men's doubles heard Hardenne utter her "woe is me" words. I cited the "I was just thinking about me" quote on another thread here 36 hours ago. Anyway, you're dead on. Hardenne has given the game a black eye we didn't need -- and that from someone with a reputation as a fighter! What a joke. El Diablo: a pass? What are you kidding me? The girl walked off the court in a GS final! There are no passes. She deserves to be banned from the slams for the rest of the year.
 

timmyboy

Professional
*quote first post: part about her complaining and injuring something else*

WHAT?! WHAT?!

Pete Sampras played a 5 setter barfing all over the place! If Sampras could play barfing, and win against corretja who's not bad of a player, in 5 sets, henin can cope with a little stomachache.
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
Just visited her site. The feeling among her fans seems to be that the anti-Justine sentiment was fueled by US-based ESPN reporters, and picked up by the Australian press. They point out that none of the ESPN guys were ever ranked in the top 3 (Brad, PMac, Mary, Mary Jo) and they are just jealous of Justine. There is also a hint that anti-European sentiment is at play here, specially with no Americans other than the Bryans winning.

What do you guys think? Don't you think that at least the women like Mary, Mary Jo, and Pam should have been more sympathetic? Or that these guys would have voiced the same opinion if it had been anyone else?
 
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