lexsooner
1/28/2006, 11:03 AM
From ESPN, regarding Justine Henin-Hardenne's default while trailing 6-1, 2-0 in the championship final in this year's Australian Open against Amélie Mauresmo:
The Belgian [Henin-Hardenne] was suffering from a debilitating, unspecified stomach ailment that may have been aggravated by her taking anti-inflammatory medication the past two weeks for an ailing right shoulder. She slept poorly on the eve of the final and called her coach, Carlos Rodriguez at 3 a.m. Saturday morning in acute distress. But there was not much the four-time major winner could do except hope her shaky health would hold up.
Henin-Hardenne: "I knew at the beginning of the match I couldn't win it," she said. "I had no legs today, couldn't move. I really tried to stay in the match, but there was no chance for me. If I would have kept playing maybe I would injure something else, so that was the best decision, even if it was very, very hard for me."
Henin-Hardenne's default came under scrutiny after the match, with a sizeable contingent feeling that she should have perhaps found a way to finish the match so as to not deny her opponent her moment in the spotlight.
ESPN's Mary Carillo said afterward, "She [Henin-Hardenne] just doesn't get it, what it means to be a champion playing in front of a full house. It wasn't her moment. You don't get to dance at your own funeral."
From watching HH over the years, she is tough as nails and focused and driven. She is anything but a wimp. She beats women who are much bigger and stronger through skill, quickness and sheer tenacity. I have never seen a more beautiful one handed loop backhand, virtually unseen on the women's tour. No, she is not the most charming or charismatic player, but if she quit, it was because she really was sick. Frankly she looked ill at the start of the match, and the article above indicates she really was sick.
Carillo needs to shut the h--- up. She was never much of a singles player and only won a mixed doubles major because her pal John McEnroe, the greatest doubles player in history, was willing team up with her mediocre self. As paypack, Gorilla has publically defended Mac when he shoved over a large CBS camera onto a cameraman, smashed flowers, threw rackets, cursed out linesmen, hosted the worst talk show in history, etc. Yet she has the nerve to criticize HH.
HH has won multiple grand slam singles titles, so what right does Mary Gorilla have in questioning HH's understanding of what it means to be a champion?
Was she waiting for HH to throw up on the court or injure herself in other ways? I bet in her prime, Carillo would have gotten beat 6-0, 6-0, by an ailing HH.
Oh, even though I was pulling for HH, I though Amélie Mauresmo was really classy last night. She never acted as if she was cheated out of any glory, but rather said she hoped HH would get better. While HH was weeping on the sideline after the match, Mauresmo went over and sat down near HH and spoke with her and consoled her. How often do you see that? I can't say I have ever been a Mauresmo fan, but I am now. She is truly a class act and won a long overdue major championship.
The Belgian [Henin-Hardenne] was suffering from a debilitating, unspecified stomach ailment that may have been aggravated by her taking anti-inflammatory medication the past two weeks for an ailing right shoulder. She slept poorly on the eve of the final and called her coach, Carlos Rodriguez at 3 a.m. Saturday morning in acute distress. But there was not much the four-time major winner could do except hope her shaky health would hold up.
Henin-Hardenne: "I knew at the beginning of the match I couldn't win it," she said. "I had no legs today, couldn't move. I really tried to stay in the match, but there was no chance for me. If I would have kept playing maybe I would injure something else, so that was the best decision, even if it was very, very hard for me."
Henin-Hardenne's default came under scrutiny after the match, with a sizeable contingent feeling that she should have perhaps found a way to finish the match so as to not deny her opponent her moment in the spotlight.
ESPN's Mary Carillo said afterward, "She [Henin-Hardenne] just doesn't get it, what it means to be a champion playing in front of a full house. It wasn't her moment. You don't get to dance at your own funeral."
From watching HH over the years, she is tough as nails and focused and driven. She is anything but a wimp. She beats women who are much bigger and stronger through skill, quickness and sheer tenacity. I have never seen a more beautiful one handed loop backhand, virtually unseen on the women's tour. No, she is not the most charming or charismatic player, but if she quit, it was because she really was sick. Frankly she looked ill at the start of the match, and the article above indicates she really was sick.
Carillo needs to shut the h--- up. She was never much of a singles player and only won a mixed doubles major because her pal John McEnroe, the greatest doubles player in history, was willing team up with her mediocre self. As paypack, Gorilla has publically defended Mac when he shoved over a large CBS camera onto a cameraman, smashed flowers, threw rackets, cursed out linesmen, hosted the worst talk show in history, etc. Yet she has the nerve to criticize HH.
HH has won multiple grand slam singles titles, so what right does Mary Gorilla have in questioning HH's understanding of what it means to be a champion?
Was she waiting for HH to throw up on the court or injure herself in other ways? I bet in her prime, Carillo would have gotten beat 6-0, 6-0, by an ailing HH.
Oh, even though I was pulling for HH, I though Amélie Mauresmo was really classy last night. She never acted as if she was cheated out of any glory, but rather said she hoped HH would get better. While HH was weeping on the sideline after the match, Mauresmo went over and sat down near HH and spoke with her and consoled her. How often do you see that? I can't say I have ever been a Mauresmo fan, but I am now. She is truly a class act and won a long overdue major championship.