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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

March 29, 2007

Justine Henin

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you compare your level, like in this match, versus the end of last year?
JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, it's tough. I hate to compare because, you know, things change and I grew up. The other players improve, also, so it's tough to compare. But it's great.
The beginning of the season I've had is fantastic, and I just hope I can keep going to the end in this tournament. I'm very happy to win a lot of matches in the start of the season.
What happened in 2006 seems far away from me now, and I just want to get focused on another season. New goals, but same thing, you know, stay healthy, win a lot of matches and the rest is coming.
I'm getting better. That's it, yeah.

Q. Start to finish, was this your best match in this tournament so far?
JUSTINE HENIN: No, I don't think so. She did a lot of mistakes, but I've been smart. I've played the kind of game she doesn't like that much. But there wasn't a lot of rhythm, so it was an easier match than was I was expecting for.
Last match against Petrova was a big fight, and against Zvonareva pretty good, too. No, I'm just happy I do my job, it's very clean, and I enjoy my time on the court so that's good.

Q. Justine, what kind of game doesn't she like so much? Can you explain a little bit?
JUSTINE HENIN: Because I had the solution to every ball she was hitting today, and I used my slice a lot. I could change the rhythm. I was running a lot and I was moving well. Also I have good defense, but as soon as -- after my defense, I can come in the court and play a little bit more offensive. It's good because I can change the zone in the court.

Q. She complimented the fact that you did change up the game.
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, that's what I try to do. That's my game, you know, to change a lot. I'm not as tall as most of the players, not as strong, so I have to play with my qualities. I'm not the kind of player who is hitting the ball so hard on every shot. I just try to do something else, and that's good for me.

Q. Justine, can you explain, you do understand how you've been able to get over the malaise that you felt?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, it's, maybe, I just live for now. I'm not in the past anymore. And the fact is that I try to enjoy every moment, even if I've been in trouble physically or so these last weeks.
I don't know, 2007 is different for me. I just try to enjoy every moment of my life. Not try to project myself too far in the future and forget a little bit of what happened in the past. Just I feel lucky to do what I love so much. I feel lucky to take my decisions and try to move forward. I feel very happy about that now.

Q. Do you feel as mentally strong as you were?
JUSTINE HENIN: I feel that's my biggest quality. In the past I've proved it many times. I could come back in tough matches, and even when I was younger not a lot of people believed I could become a great tennis player, and I proved a lot of those things to those people but first to myself. I play tennis, I love it so much because it brings me a lot of emotions.
That's my biggest motivation. It gives me emotions, it gives emotions to people I love, to my fans, and that's why I play tennis now, and I'm very happy about that.

Q. Justine, what are your thoughts about the on-court coaching? You have very close relations with your coach. Have you and Carlos talked about that?
JUSTINE HENIN: No, we didn't use it, and I don't think we're going to do it. It's going to be 11 years we work together, and I don't have to have Carlos. I don't need him beside me on the court. Even if he just looks at me I can understand what he wants from me on the court. I also have the feeling I'm mature enough. I know what I have to do on the court.
The thing is that you alone have to find the solutions by yourself. I'm not quite sure what the level of the top players is going to make a difference. I'm not really positive for that.
I don't care if the other players do that, but for me, the goal of Carlos is I take a little of my own responsibilities on the court. So it wouldn't help me if he comes to me at the end of the set and give me another solution, I have to find it by myself.

Q. You don't care if the other players on the tour does it, that's okay?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, that's okay for me. I'm very happy with the challenge. I think it's great for the on-court coaching. I don't have really an opinion. It's just that I don't need that.

Q. Were you ever at the point where you were on the verge of giving up on trying to do well here, just thinking this is not a good match, this is not going to happen, or did you see it as a different kind of challenge?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, it is a challenge for me. Just try to win every match and play point after point, match after match, and try to build day after day something a little bit better here.
I've been in trouble in my third round against Razzano. I was down 5-1, so I could be out of the tournament at that time. I wouldn't say I've been lucky, because I don't feel that luck exists in sport. I've been very focused at that time, and just try to stay in the tournament.
Conditions are pretty tough, but I just could accept that and just, yeah, day after day, try to be myself and be happy to be on the court.

Q. What was the diagnosis for the breathing problems you were having earlier?
JUSTINE HENIN: I will still have to do some exams, because we don't know exactly what the problem is. Maybe an infection, maybe a kind of asthma, which I never had in the past.

Q. Is it better now?
JUSTINE HENIN: Maybe a little bit, but not a big improvement. So I'm under medication now and that helps a lot.

Q. One of your possible opponents is obviously Serena. You haven't played her in almost four years.
JUSTINE HENIN: Long time.

Q. It's quite a long time. Can you just comment on that gap?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, it's a long time we didn't play each other. She looks like she's healthy now, and that's the biggest difference, and very focused on her tennis.
I wasn't really surprised the way she came back in Australia. When she's healthy and really focused, she's a great champion. She has nothing to prove to anyone. She did it in the past.
Yeah, it's great the level she's back. I think it's going to be close to her best level. We will see what's going to happen if I have to play her. It's certainly a long time ago. We had a couple of good fights in the past.
Yeah, maybe I'll take more after the match because I didn't watch her play a lot. I know she has a lot of motivation, which is pretty normal. But I do have also a lot of motivation, and the best will win.

Q. The medications combined with the sun, how does that feel? I heard you say something about taking medication?
JUSTINE HENIN: I'm sorry.

Q. The medication that you're taking combined with the sun?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, no, that's okay. I need it, because I've really been in trouble with my breathing. That helps a lot. Yeah, when you have to -- I don't like to take a lot of medicines, but when you don't have the choice, and Florida in March is not easy also for the allergies and everything. A lot of people have been in trouble with that in this tournament. So I hope it will get better soon.

Q. So the sun doesn't bother you, it has no side effects?
JUSTINE HENIN: The sun, it's tough, because when it's warm like it is today, you're short of breath a little bit earlier than normal. So my heart is going fast, but it's okay. I try to deal with it, and I'm still in the tournament so that's good news.

Q. How do you block out all the stuff going on in your personal life right now?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, I just try to move forward. You can take something positive from any experience in your life, and that's what I'm trying to do.
I had a couple of tough times in my life even a long time ago. Like I said, you can say, well, I'm not lucky, I don't have any chance, it's not fair. Or it can make you stronger; that's what I tried to do in the past. Even if I feel it's unfair sometimes. When I see this condition, I think it's unfair.
You need to move forward, and find something that helps you and that's what I did in every difficult time of my life. That's what I'm still doing now. I'm just 100 now to play tennis. So that's good. I'm happy about that.

Q. What do you think that you've done well that's helped you against Serena in the past?
JUSTINE HENIN: What I did?

Q. What you did well when you beat Serena?
JUSTINE HENIN: You know, I think I beat her a couple of times on clay, and that would be the best surface for me to play against Serena. I have a lot of time to organize my game. But I will have to play aggressive, you know, just try to raise my level a little bit more. Try to take the opportunities and fight on every point.
You need to be away on the first two, three shots and try to make the point a little bit longer. Yeah, she's really powerful. She's a fighter also, so every point is going to be important. In the past we always had good matches, so I hope if I have to play her it's going to be another good one.

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