tennis fans (whose ur fav. player)

[Earniel]

I knew Clijsters was good if she managed to keep her focus, but she surprised a lot of people by actually winning. There was some tough competion. I believe she is the first wildcard to go and win the US Open.

Wickmayer and Flipkens did well, but I do think Clijsters' presence gave them both a good boost. They all know one another and both really wanted to play against Clijsters.

Yes, Yanina Wickmayer is rising through the ranks. Earlier this year, I believe she entered the top 100, then was nr. 50 in starting the US Open, and her success has brought her up to nr. 22 now. She is still pretty young (19, just like Wozniacki who defeated Wickmayer to play the finale against Clijsters) I think she will go on to be a world-class player. If she can keep her temper under rap.

My family is still walking around yawning, they stayed up until 3AM to watch the finale.

[Jonathan]

Haha, your family did the right thing

I met Wozniacki a few years ago when she had just won the juniors' Wimbledon tournament. I believed she could be battling for the big Grand Slams someday, so it was nice to see her reach the final. Though it would have been cool to see two Belgians facing off, just like in the days when Justin Henin were still playing.

I'd love to see her make a comeback too!

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

I met Wozniacki a few years ago when she had just won the juniors' Wimbledon tournament. I believed she could be battling for the big Grand Slams someday, so it was nice to see her reach the final.

Really? She seems like a nice gall. Judging from the interviews, she and Clijsters are already on a first-name basis. But then again, Clijsters makes friends easily with everyone, it's part what makes her so loved on and off the tennis court.

Though it would have been cool to see two Belgians facing off, just like in the days when Justin Henin were still playing.

Yeah, it would have been fun if Wickmayer could have played the finale against Clijsters, but I think Wozniacki (at least for now) is the greater challenge.

I'd love to see her make a comeback too!

Who knows? Henin never really seemed to like seeing Clijsters get more attention than her. She has already agreed to at least one demonstration match (but only after Clijsters started doing them) and she has very recently quit on the job she has had since she stopped with tennis. Although she still denies having plans to return to tennis. But she'd need some training to get in shape again anyway, if she does return.

I admit I'm not a fan of Henin so I don't really care for a possible return. Since she left, Wickmayer has been getting better, and we also have one talented junior Tamaryn Hendler, so the future for Belgian (female) tennis seems assured.

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

I admit I'm not a fan of Henin so I don't really care for a possible return.

Still, Henin won the Laureus Sportsmanship award for women last year.
Is it because Clijsters unlike Henin is Flemish, that you like her better?

we also have one talented junior Tamaryn Hendler, so the future for Belgian (female) tennis seems assured.

I wish the situation was the same here. We have Robin Söderling but behind him comes no-one. And on the women's side it's pitch-black.


By the way, 2009 was the first year since 2004 that Federer didn't win the Laureus award. But he's right now up one set against Del Potro in the US Open final

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Still, Henin won the Laureus Sportsmanship award for women last year.
Is it because Clijsters unlike Henin is Flemish, that you like her better?

Heck no.

I never judge an athlete on their language, only on attitude. (And I admit, very often I don't even know which side of the country they hail from.)

Henin is a good tennis player, she has an excellent talent for it even, but to me that is all she has. She should be (and rightly so) honoured for her sport achievements, but not for sportmanship as she always showed rather little of it.

Her interviews were nearly always about 'moimoimoi'. She seldom had a good word for her opponent. If she had lost she was most likely to say she made a mistake or she wasn't focussed enough, not that the other player just happened to be playing better at the moment. She didn't seem to be really liked among the player base either. Maybe I do her injustice by comparing her to Clijsters who seems to be friends with about every tennis player on any tournament, but Henin doesn't come close in comparison.

Henin played for Henin first and formost, then maybe if we'd get lucky, she'd play for Belgium. I don't remember any Belgian tennis player that had to be practically begged to participate in the Fed Cup as Henin was. Others were thrilled when asked, not Henin.

And then there was this need she had for conflict, Henin needed always someone to battle against, sometimes making an enemy out of people who were not.

She often seemed jealous of Clijsters popularity as a person in so much that she sometimes copied her. Clijsters plays on demonstration games and takes an interest in playing with young fans? Henin starts doing likewise charity games. Clijsters quits? Henin loses motivation and quits within two years after. Clijsters comes in the news with a successful comeback? The very next day, Henin makes the news again by anouncing she is quitting her job.

Henin has had a great sport carreer, including among others Olympic gold no less, but I do not like her as a person and am therefor not a fan. If anything she just rubs me wrong.

I wish the situation was the same here. We have Robin Söderling but behind him comes no-one. And on the women's side it's pitch-black.

Yes, we're very lucky on that aspect. It's not easy as a small country to have several promising tennis players lined up. We are a non-presence on so many other sport-fields. Take football for example, Belgian football on internation level is darker than the deepest black hole in the universe.

[Jonathan]

Yeah I know, I raised the "non-Flemish" issue half jokingly. Those were interesting remarks on Henin's attitude. However I for one would still appreciate a comeback, if only for her very elegant game!

By the way it doesn't seem uncommon that the greatest stars skip Davis Cup/Fed Cup play. It's a shame but I guess it's because they have their focus on the Grand Slams.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

By the way it doesn't seem uncommon that the greatest stars skip Davis Cup/Fed Cup play. It's a shame but I guess it's because they have their focus on the Grand Slams.

Yeah, I know, if you're high up in the rankings you've got to pick and plan your tournaments well and Grand Slams are more important in that aspect than the Fed Cup. But it all depends on how you say 'no' to the Fed Cup or the Davis Cup, and Henin's 'no' was... most of the time less elegant than her game. Playing in a team of course doesn't suit everyone.

Henin still has a very large fan base, both inside and outside Belgium. I think a lot of people would love to see 'Juju' return to the court as you do, just not me.

[Comic Book Guy]

Federer is brilliant and can be rightfully considered one of the greatest sportsmen of all time.

Women's tennis is pish.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

However I for one would still appreciate a comeback, if only for her very elegant game!

I forgot to mention, that two days after Clijster's finale, the Wallon television made mention of Henin buying 14 new tennis rackets, exactly the number she kept when she was still playing. And though she officially denies a comeback, she happens to be training for two demonstration matches in Charleroi and Dubai later this year. So after that, who knows...

[Jonathan]

Well she'd easily get a wild card for any tournament she'd like.

[Earniel]

Well, your wish has been granted, Jonathan.

[Jonathan]

Really? That was fast

Henin Announces Comeback

[Earniel]

Of course, not a chance she'd let Clijsters and Wickmayer hog the limelight without her one day longer.