I should never have played Australian Open final-Henin

By Barry Wood

DUBAI (Reuters) – Justine Henin-Hardenne believes she
should never have attempted to start the Australian Open final
against Amelie Mauresmo because she was too ill.

“Now I can think about what happened in Melbourne I have
the feeling I should never have walked on the court because it
could have been dangerous for me,” the Belgian told reporters.

“It’s not good to play with your health because you just
have one life and you have many tennis tournaments.”

The Belgian’s decision to stop playing when 6-1 2-0 down in
last month’s final attracted widespread criticism.

In Dubai to play for the first time since that Melbourne
walkout, Henin-Hardenne said on Monday she had been racked with
pain during the night before the match. Medication for a
shoulder injury had made her feel “very, very bad.”

“I’m upset with myself that I didn’t call anyone that night
before the match. My stomach was in so much pain and I have
regrets I should have made the call (to a doctor).

“I cannot stop people thinking something about me, but I
know the way I am and I’m totally fine with the fact that I
left the court.

“Some people understand and some don’t. That’s life. You
can’t make everyone happy and can’t make everyone like you.”

Fourth seed Henin-Hardenne, France’s Mauresmo, Maria
Sharapova of Russia and American Lindsay Davenport have been
given byes into the second round of the Dubai tournament, and
Henin-Hardenne says she plans to draw on the positives from her
Australian Open experience.

“I didn’t play for four months and I came back and won in
Sydney and beat Lindsay Davenport and Maria Sharapova and was
again in a Grand Slam final. That’s what I have to keep.

“So it’s not that I had the opportunity to win another
Grand Slam and didn’t, because I’m sure I’ll have other
chances.

“I started to hit the ball 10 days after the final, but I
just started to serve two days ago,” said Henin-Hardenne.

“I don’t know exactly what to expect this week. Now my
shoulder is getting better but I just want to go step by step
and play my first round and see what’s going to happen.”