lambielspins
Banned
Does anyone else find Henin Hardennes mental toughness overrated? What is it based on, the only match she showed great mental toughness vs another mentaly tough player was her 2003 U.S Open semis vs Capriati. That was a great demonstration of mental strength, but that is the only time she has shown it vs a mentaly tough opponent, yet people rave about her almost unprecedanted mental toughness. I actually find that one of her weaknesses if everything. She seems to have a very complete game, and worked hard despite her small size to be a powerful hitter from various areas of the court. In addition to being injured I find her meek in the clutch if anything though.
She lost 3 of her 4 slam finals this year, despite being favored by most in 3 of them(the first 3)and atleast co-favored in the 4th(U.S Open final this year). Ok maybe she was sick in the Australian final but her play was a major case of nerves, even if she was sick. How can somebody who goes 1-3 in slam finals vs not exactly the most outstanding competition you will see(it is not like she played Serena Williams or Monica Seles in her prime in all the finals and went 1-3, that I could understand)say that she is such a mentaly tough player?
3 of her 5 slam finals wins where vs her countrywomen Kim Clijsters who pretty much faints at the sight of her for some reason, and is known to have a huge mental block playing Henin, so those wins would not show great mental resolve. Also the one final that was close, the 2004 Australian Open is worth nothing, since Henin lost a 6-3, 4-2 lead in the second set, losing 4 straight games to lose the set 6-4, then ran off 4 straight games to go up 4-0 in the 3rd on Clijsters, then lost both breaks of serve by losing 3 straight games(including 2 serve games)for Kim to be back on serve at 4-3, before finishing it off by winning the last 2 games. Both Kim and Justine showed some major problems with nerves, focus, and intensity in that match. The other 2 slam final wins were vs a nervous and older Mary Pierce, and Kuznetsova a moderate contender but not really one of the top guns.
She also seems to resort to other means of helping herself through some tough matches, rather then digging down in her much belied mental reserves. The 2003 French Open semis where she won 7-5 in the 3rd in the semis over Serena, ending Serena's 4 grand slam win streak, she allowed her own level of play to go down drasticaly after playing impeccable clay court tennis in winning the first set 6-2. Serena also raised her game alot, but Justine despite playing on her own best surface, Serena's worst, leading Serena 2-1 head to head on clay(never beaten her on any other surface)and having won their last match 6-4, 6-3, allowed her game to go progressively backwards after the first set, which is not a sign of great mental toughness at all. Then when that continued into the 3rd set, to get back on track she used a cheating tactic down 4-2 of raising her arm up, while the crowd were already getting on Serena's case, pretending she was not ready for the serve, then denying she did it, and forcing Serena into a second serve. If her mental strength was so irrefutable would she not have just dug deep in her bottomless mental reserves, rather then resort to such a cheapish tactic. Also when she played Serena at Wimbledon 1 month later, while she was overpowered and outplayed in a 6-3, 6-2 loss she actually had many chances to make it a more competitive match as she let 3 different 0-40 leads(2 on Serena's serve, 1 on her own I believe)go away, dumped a makeable volley in the net anther break point, and it appeared to be looser focus whenever she got up 40-0, again if anything showing lack of intensity and focus. Also that she played big points so poorly and was so submissive in her approach to what she must have known to be a grudge match were Serena would want to wallop her after the French Open, makes me think less of her so called mental resolve. During that 2004 Aussie Open final vs also used cheating, a hand up on a ball she saw was in on break point to go up 5-3 on Clijsters, if she is so tough and such a special competitor, why does she resort to such cheap tactics to get up in matches.
I have seen her lose some big leads to people like Dementieva, including 1 this year at Pacific Life, she gagged a 6-2, 5-2 lead. She also gagged a 6-2, 4-0 lead to Venus at Amelia Island I believe it was 4 years ago.
She is NOT as mentaly tough as people make her out to be, not even close.
She lost 3 of her 4 slam finals this year, despite being favored by most in 3 of them(the first 3)and atleast co-favored in the 4th(U.S Open final this year). Ok maybe she was sick in the Australian final but her play was a major case of nerves, even if she was sick. How can somebody who goes 1-3 in slam finals vs not exactly the most outstanding competition you will see(it is not like she played Serena Williams or Monica Seles in her prime in all the finals and went 1-3, that I could understand)say that she is such a mentaly tough player?
3 of her 5 slam finals wins where vs her countrywomen Kim Clijsters who pretty much faints at the sight of her for some reason, and is known to have a huge mental block playing Henin, so those wins would not show great mental resolve. Also the one final that was close, the 2004 Australian Open is worth nothing, since Henin lost a 6-3, 4-2 lead in the second set, losing 4 straight games to lose the set 6-4, then ran off 4 straight games to go up 4-0 in the 3rd on Clijsters, then lost both breaks of serve by losing 3 straight games(including 2 serve games)for Kim to be back on serve at 4-3, before finishing it off by winning the last 2 games. Both Kim and Justine showed some major problems with nerves, focus, and intensity in that match. The other 2 slam final wins were vs a nervous and older Mary Pierce, and Kuznetsova a moderate contender but not really one of the top guns.
She also seems to resort to other means of helping herself through some tough matches, rather then digging down in her much belied mental reserves. The 2003 French Open semis where she won 7-5 in the 3rd in the semis over Serena, ending Serena's 4 grand slam win streak, she allowed her own level of play to go down drasticaly after playing impeccable clay court tennis in winning the first set 6-2. Serena also raised her game alot, but Justine despite playing on her own best surface, Serena's worst, leading Serena 2-1 head to head on clay(never beaten her on any other surface)and having won their last match 6-4, 6-3, allowed her game to go progressively backwards after the first set, which is not a sign of great mental toughness at all. Then when that continued into the 3rd set, to get back on track she used a cheating tactic down 4-2 of raising her arm up, while the crowd were already getting on Serena's case, pretending she was not ready for the serve, then denying she did it, and forcing Serena into a second serve. If her mental strength was so irrefutable would she not have just dug deep in her bottomless mental reserves, rather then resort to such a cheapish tactic. Also when she played Serena at Wimbledon 1 month later, while she was overpowered and outplayed in a 6-3, 6-2 loss she actually had many chances to make it a more competitive match as she let 3 different 0-40 leads(2 on Serena's serve, 1 on her own I believe)go away, dumped a makeable volley in the net anther break point, and it appeared to be looser focus whenever she got up 40-0, again if anything showing lack of intensity and focus. Also that she played big points so poorly and was so submissive in her approach to what she must have known to be a grudge match were Serena would want to wallop her after the French Open, makes me think less of her so called mental resolve. During that 2004 Aussie Open final vs also used cheating, a hand up on a ball she saw was in on break point to go up 5-3 on Clijsters, if she is so tough and such a special competitor, why does she resort to such cheap tactics to get up in matches.
I have seen her lose some big leads to people like Dementieva, including 1 this year at Pacific Life, she gagged a 6-2, 5-2 lead. She also gagged a 6-2, 4-0 lead to Venus at Amelia Island I believe it was 4 years ago.
She is NOT as mentaly tough as people make her out to be, not even close.
