Where's all the beautiful slices?
Look at how she focuses intently on the ball while reaching forward to hit it, it's so suave!
She plays the best tennis on clay, none other players I've seen have such grace and smoothness on clay court. Really loves how she managed to slide across the clay court to reach the ball and hit it back with much accuracy. That is the art of timing and movement.
She really stretches out her whole body to reach out for the ball <3
I super miss her handsomeness looking on court when she's about to slice...
And not to forget the most beautiful backhand to me at least for women's game, for the men, I won't compare because of the speed and power differences but for the skills, I dare say she had one of the best, if not, the best
When can we see these beautiful backhands on court again...how many women on the tennis tour really possess such powerful, graceful backhand? The top 50 in current WTA, I doubt there's even 5 of them playing with single backhand. Yes, I'm biased because I love single backhanders more, I think it added a touch of beauty into their game than the double backhanders. It's just my opinion.
Beautiful stance b4 ready to strike a beautiful backhand
I'm gonna super miss your backhand, Justine! ='(
The "eagle wings" style for a very powerful backhand strike!
The powerful forehand too, the lethal weapon of Justine's as well...
This is so drooling handsome!
As Justine is petite and not as powerful as those big girls, she is smart enough to use her body swinging momentum to create the power and nicely constructed points
I miss her variety shots displayed on court, especially her net play..
The drop shots...
Not sure if the above is a drop shot but it's far from the baseline (I'm not a tennis expert and I dunno how to play tennis, just loves watching it)
More of the forehand drop shots...backhand, I can't differentiate from a slice, she disguises it well in matches to trick her opponents and also from the fact that I don't have much tennis knowledge
Another drop shot too? Anyway, just super loves her at the net
Alright, finally a backhand drop shot pic...am I right?
Volleys! <3 <3
Backhand Volleys!!!
Forehand Volleys!!!
Overhead smash!
The upward "Javelin style" overhead smash! This is so super super suave! I love this handsome Justine with that beautiful blue shoelaces for the Unicef!
Her agility on court....
This pic I just gotten from FB, and also to credit the photographer, the name in the pic for such a marvellous great shot! Look how well Justine covers the court!
Yes...a famous point against Serena Williams in US Open 2007, if it were any other players, I doubt they can catch the ball directed at their body at the net, Justine is quick and alert, her reflexes are good!
A similar action to the picture above it
Allez!
That's why I love this woman so much...wish there's a clearer pic of this. She looked so pumped up and excited!
You will Forever be missed on court...
There can never be another that complete skillful "all courts" player like you on tour, not in this era
The tears I fought back to write this post, I thought after 2 months, my heart would have calmed down, but no, Ju really affected me a lot, even the worsened skin allergy that was caused by me being too emotional when she announced her 2nd retirement still existed. I can only console myself that this skin problem loves me too much for about 20 years, it won't go away just like how I will love Justine for her on and also off court . And partly due to the fact that there's so many sad disasters happening in the world, I can't bring myself to be really cheerful right now.
The world is so complicated, I choose to live a simple life only to find myself trapped finding the simplicity. Maybe, maybe..."Je n'ai pas de vie"?
Hey Gang,
ReplyDeleteWow. Justine posted an update on her FB/Twitter. She's in Paris this week representing the French Belgium sector as 6th Sense academy for some Political/social economic
Forum. [Ottignies Louvain-La-Neuve s'installe à Paris".]
Don't you get the feeling that Justine would run for some political position in the future in Belgium? Hey- look at Carla Bruni (singer, actress, wife of France PM), if she can do it our Justine can also be a grand woman of many talents and facets!
Hi Greeny, yes, I was so super excited when I saw a change in the wordings on the twitter wall. Then did I realize she really did update it, haha silly me.
ReplyDeleteI didn't really understand about the content, so does it really have anything to do with her academy? If it is, why is it associated with political stuffs? And it is in Paris, but I don't mind at all if she run for political position in Belgium, she has a very mature thinking and calm and independent. The traits that a political should have. Justine is very talented and a very hardworking gal, she'll excel in things she put herself into. I believe of that!
Hi Cab,
ReplyDeleteI Googled it, and found the programme for Justine's little activity in Paris. Looks interesting doesn't it?
http://www.mediafire.com/?l10qazrd14b592i
Hehe Greeny, it indeed looking interesting, thanks for the pdf file though it's all in french and I don't know the content and it's stating very general terms I think, not elaborated in details, so I didn't see "6th sense" or "Justine Henin" in it but so long as she's there. It would be an honor for both parties and must be an amazing great event!
ReplyDeleteI love these photos, ju has the most gorgeous shots, and her backhand is pure eye candy :) I play tennis and I try to do the one handed backhand but it's so hard to get right :( if I wanted to be a tennis player I would try my best to play elegantly like her, I still try now but it takes too much skill for me haha. I respect players who use one hand so much because it is a rarity nowadays and it is a beautiful thing to watch. I only know one player with the same class and almost same backhand as Ju, and that's Roger Federer. Atlases we have him to watch, right? Although I miss Juju's little taps of the ball so it just goes over when she's at the net, her game was just too good for us :(
ReplyDeleteI miss you juju!
Thanks Sarah for your comment, indeed Ju has the most gorgeous shots with her complete skill set! I haven't got the chance to learn tennis but if I wanted to play, I also want to try it with single handed. Not saying that I'm strong enough or what but I wanna try what's it's like to play with one handed backhand. I know it's super difficult and take years to master it. So I really really appreciate the single backhanders more. And yup, we have Roger though he doesn't play as well as he used to but at least his game is still artistic and nice. But so far, I haven't got the time and passion to really watch any tennis matches, not even ATP. Maybe I'll try to watch some when i'm pretty free.
ReplyDeleteI guess I just have to keep trying, to even try hit nice single backhands xD I appreciate players who use one hand, like Roger but I know right? he isn't playing as well as he used to (maybe the twins haha) but of couse he and Ju are very much alike, even though womens and men's is so different, they are both classy and elegant which I love :) they are just plain great people too.
ReplyDeleteHere's to the hopes of Justine's academy producing players with beautiful tennis <3
Yup, it's difficult to play tennis well with accuracy even for double handed, even more difficult for single handed and their whole arm must be strong to withstand the force. Really really admire Justine for her small body frame and still playing with single hand. Too bad when she fell, it was her right arm that was injured, of course I wish she didn't made that fall...
ReplyDeleteBye bye WTA! It's power boring era now...
Haha, yup, must be the twins that distracted Roger but he had nothing more to prove since he had won everything now and had a family too! Ppl always associate Justine and Roger together because of their playing styles, both use single backhand and have beautiful game. If only Justine had a stronger body, she'll shut those evil bad WS fans up with her tennis, but well,
sometimes she succumbs to brute power. It's unfair when god gives her the talent but don't give her a strong body which makes her to work 100x more than those giants. And the haters still think Justine lost because she sucks in tennis and that their favs are the best? They must be blind but whatever...
And yup, wish to see more of little Juju's playing style alike players coming out from Justine's academies, I'm sure they'll be great champions! Even better if one of them is Justine's own child! Oh Ju, go find a super great man, get married and have cute kids! Don't mind if the kids play tennis or not, you'll be a super great mum!