	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2008

Justine Henin

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A tougher match than the previous two as we get further into the draw.
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, I think it was a tough third round for me. Francesca is always a tough player, tough opponent, and I knew that.
So I'm happy, because I had pretty good reactions when I had to. I knew it was going to be a good fight. Physically she's very strong and she's running a lot. She has put a lot of spin. So different kind of game than what we used to play against the other players.
For me that was interesting, so I'm happy about this win.

Q. A question about Svetlana. It's hard sometimes to have friendships when you're at the top, but it seems you are great mates. Can you talk about your friendship with her, what you admire about her off the court.
JUSTINE HENIN: No, we have a good relationship, very good relationship. Probably really one of the only players I have good -- I mean, that I have contacts with in the locker room.
She's very honest, you know. She remain very simple. She's just herself. Always smiling, always very open. She's nice with everyone. She's so funny. So, no, we having a good time together.
As soon as we are on the court, we have a lot of respect. We want to win, for sure. But Sveta and I, we really have a great relationship and a lot of respect. She's a very good tennis player, for sure, but a great person too, I think.

Q. She says you put up with her hip hop music.
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, I just started some hip hop lessons, so she wants to know about that (laughter).
No, we were joking about that in Sydney. She listens to strange music, you know, not the kind of music that I'm used to. So I'm always teasing her with that.

Q. You're taking hip hop lessons?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah. My fitness coach gives hip hop lessons. We just started. Just for fun sometimes we do it. It's just my relaxing time in preparation. An hour a week we do some hip hop. I'm so bad, but I want to improve, so that's good.

Q. Are we going to see you bust out some dance moves after a match?
JUSTINE HENIN: Never. Don't dream (laughter).

Q. Is a winning streak anything that's in the front of your head?
JUSTINE HENIN: It's a kind of pressure because everyone -- I mean, one day or another I will lose. I mean, that's the game. I hope it's going to be as late as possible.
But, no, what I'm doing for -- I wouldn't say for a couple months, but the last year is just great. I've been so consistent. But every match is different. You have to start again all the time.
You know if you're not in your best level you know you can lose. Every time I wake up now I know I can win, I know I can lose. I just want to stay focused on the main important things, because one day or another it will come that I'll have not a very good day. So we'll see. I hope it's not going to be for this tournament.

Q. You also used to share the spotlight with Kim in your country until a year ago. Does it feel different not having her around?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, it was great for Belgium to have two players like us at the same time. It was almost a perfect story. Now the attention is a lot on myself, but it was already before.
As soon as I arrived at the top and I became the No. 1 player in the world, there was a lot of attention in Belgium. Maybe a little bit more now because it's only me on the woman's side. But I don't feel extra pressure for that.

Q. Do you see her at all?
JUSTINE HENIN: No, no, no. I just heard she's pregnant, and it's very soon. Wish her the best. But we didn't speak for a long time now.

Q. Who do you see as your toughest opponent on the tour right now?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, I just want to be focused on every match, you know. So I don't look too far. I don't pay too much attention to the others. I'm doing my job the best I can for a couple of years now, and that's working pretty good. So I think it's a good way to think. It's good reaction.
Being focused on the others doesn't help me to feel better, you know. So I just try to do my job, enjoy my tennis. No matter who I have to play, with a lot of respect, I want to beat my opponent. You always have to be at your best level. That's not that easy all the time.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297