adidas International

January 11, 2004

Justine Henin

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, the attention on myself, the attention of the other players, of the press, of the people, you know. So I think it's normal because, you know, a lot of things happened, and especially in the last six months. But, like I said, I feel I didn't change. That's the most important thing. I just stayed the same person with the same goals - just giving my best on the court every day and every match. So, no, that's good.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, I think that's enough. Because, you know, being No. 1 was a dream for sure; it was a goal. But, like I said, it's not the end of the world. I could feel it. I could feel it wasn't over, you know. Winning the Grand Slams gave me more emotions, and it was very important for myself. But life continues, and I know I have other goals in my mind right now.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I mean, every match is a goal for me. Like I said, last year, you know, I just went step by step. I change my philosophy a little bit just going on the court and try to forget everything else and just try to stay focused on my game. That's what I'm gonna do again this year, you know - going in every tournament, try to do my best, try to win every match, but it's not possible. So we'll see what's gonna happen. I hope it's gonna be as good as it was last year.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: The conditions are tough, for sure. But, I mean, the conditions at the US Open are really hard, too. And, you know, playing on clay, physically, it's hard, too. I mean, all these tournaments are very hard to win. You have to be 100 percent and be ready to win these kind of tournaments. So for sure the conditions are really tough. You know, the heat is not my big friend. But I think I'm prepare to play in these conditions, and I'm sure it's gonna be all right.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, uh-hmm.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No, I mean, it doesn't change anything in my mind. I mean, it's sad for the tournament and for the WTA Tour because she's such a great champion. But she probably needs a little bit of more time to be ready. But for myself, it doesn't change anything because my first match is gonna be the most important one for me.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No, I mean, I'm just gonna talk for myself, you know. Last year, I had a good schedule. I really never been seriously injured. I just didn't play more than two tournaments in a row, you know. You have to take care of your body because it's a long season, for sure. But you need to be prepare. I mean, now the (competition) is huge, and it's tough. I mean, all the matches are physically really hard and mentally, too, so it's not easy for the players. But no reasons particularly.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, I mean, I had a really good break, good holidays. I mean, we need it because, you know, like I said, the season has been very long and mentally, too. But two weeks of break was enough. Then I went back to Florida in Saddlebrook, working like last year with Pat Etcheberry. We did similar work that we did last year - different kind of exercises, but same idea. And just try to make me a little bit more powerful. We worked on the agility, on my running, a lot of different things that we did last year. So I feel prepare for this season. I feel ready. I feel hungry of victories. I'm very happy to be back on the tour.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think that when she's gonna come back on the tour she's gonna come back maybe stronger than she was. I think everybody's waiting for that. Because, like I said, she's a great player. We want the best players in the world on the courts. So it's hard to say what's gonna happen, but I'm sure that she'll have great motivation when she's gonna come back.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No, I don't mind too much about that. I think, you know, Venus, she did something great for WTA and she won so many titles, she has the level to be the third seed. So I think that that's a pretty normal thing because, you know, if you have to play Venus in the fourth round, it's not easy, which I think it's positive. But, you know, everybody has an opinion; that's mine.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: They're two of the best players in the world, and we want all the players, like I said, in the great tournaments. It's gonna be good that Venus is gonna come back because we want a high level of competition. They did a great job, and I'm sure, like I said, that they gonna come back with a lot of motivation, try to come back at the top of the game for a long time.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Being No. 1 is a lot of responsibility, for sure. But I just try to forget this, just try to stay focus on the main thing. For myself, it's being on the court. I just try to have the good attitude all the time. It's not only about hitting balls, it's also about everything. Of course that's very important to be responsible and to lead the tour as much as we can.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I'm totally comfortable, yeah, because, you know, always in my career I took my time to -- you know, I went step by step. I'm 21. It's very young, but it's already old for a tennis player. You know, I feel good being No. 1, for sure. I know that things can change very fast, you know, because, like I said, the level is very high and a lot of players are playing great tennis right now. But I'm feeling comfortable with this position.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: That's the first time I'm in this position, but I think that I had to deal in the past with different kind of things that weren't easy all the time. So I'm sure that it doesn't change anything in my mind of what I have to do on the court. That's the most important thing, I stay focus on my game and, you know... But I take my responsibilities, of course. I know I have to do it.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Three weeks. Three weeks with no tennis, but two weeks off courts. Because I went back to Florida and work one week with Pat Etcheberry before Carlos was coming.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, yeah. Exactly, yeah.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think I'm better. I think I still improved because, you know, the work I did last year helped me to be better in 2003. Now I knew what would happen in Saddlebrook in the last few weeks. I was ready, I was prepare mentally, because I knew it was going to be hard. And it was. But, no, I feel probably stronger now than I was last year at the same period.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No. No chance, no.