Paris - Justine Henin said Thursday that the revolving cast
of women's number one players leaves her puzzled as to the state of
the game she left at the summit a year ago.
The Belgian was back at her beloved Roland Garros for her first
visit since the last edition, which was held just a weeks after the
seven-time Grand Slam champion - including four titles in five years
in Paris - had quit the game.
But since leaving at her peak, the player who turns 27 on Monday
says that she has kept her interests away from the court, save here
work regarding a new Florida tennis academy she and her former coach
founded.
'To be honest, I didn't follow a lot of the tour in the last 12
months,' she said. 'But I know who has been number one, and the fact
that some players are number one and haven't won a Grand Slam.
'I find that quite sad. But things are probably going to move on.'
When Henin quit, Maria Sharapova took over the top spot. Since
then, the lead has changed an unprecedented seven times, with Ana
Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic and Serena Williams holding the position on
two occasions each.
The current occupant is Russian Dinara Safina. Of the post-Henin
occupants, only Sharapova, Willimas and Ivanovic own Grand Slam
titles.
'For Safina, it's maybe the time for her to go to the next step,'
said Henin.
'With the respect I have for all these players, it's true that
it's hard apparently in the women's game now to really find a boss
and someone that is at the top and that wins a lot of tournaments.
'I think the tour needs someone, a leader. We don't find this
leader for now, but there is a lot of confidence. There are young
players who are going to come on the tour and push the older ones.
'It's a new generation now, but it's strange what happens in
women's game, and the fact that you never know what's going to
happen. It's interesting,' she said.
Henin tipped Sharapova to possibly fill the leadership void, once
the Americanised Russian gets past the shoulder injury from which she
is only now overcoming on court.
'It all depends on what she can do to get back to her best level,'
Henin said of the three-time Grand Slam champion. 'She's been number
one, she's won (three) Grand Slam tournaments.
'She has proven that she can make it. She has the mental ability,
physical ability to make it happen. Maybe she'll take the lead pretty
soon - this is what we need at the moment.'
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