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ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS

August 15, 2007

Justine Henin

TORONTO, ONTARIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about your wrists, and how it felt now that you've had a chance to go through a competitive match. And exactly what the problem has been with the wrist, and how you've dealt with it?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, I had a little bit of inflammation. It started in Wimbledon, but now it looks like it's 100%. So I really had to take a good break, and I also injured my left wrist during my holiday. So it's been difficult for me. But left wrist, it's okay.
I have one hand back, and the right one is getting better. And I have no more pain during the match, so that gives a lot of confidence. I feel healthy. But I really needed this break after Wimbledon also, mentally and physically, to get little bit fresh before the end of the season. It was really important to me.

Q. Do you have any particular worries when you've taken a month off and stepped back on the court? Any particular things you're worried about breaking down?
JUSTINE HENIN: I'm used to it after all the injuries I've got in the past. No, it's a break that I needed. I think it's part of my success when I take good breaks and holidays. And the time to really get fresh again mentally. It's really important to me. And I always get better in this kind of situation.
But I am concerned every time I'm back on the court - am I going to be at the same level? Always takes a few days, a few matches to really be in the good rhythm again. But, yeah, I just try to use my experience a little bit more.

Q. Since you've been here, you've been asked a lot of questions about your last competitive match which was the semifinal at Wimbledon. You said you'd try to take that as a learning experience. Now that you've had a chance to reflect on it for like a month, what exactly did you learn from it?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, I just took a few days to think about that, and now that's from the past. I just want to move forward and look at this tournament and be focused on the future.
But you know sometimes you just have to accept that you have moments of weakness, that's it. Physically, mentally, that emotionally it's a little bit too much.
I thought my match against Serena was one of the most emotional match of my career, because it was the first time I did beat her on another surface than mine on the clay. So it's been very emotional. It took me a lot of energy.
Yeah, I think that there was a better player in front of me, and sometimes you have to accept that. That you're not at your best, and the other one can compete, the other one can win. And you need a lot of humility to accept this kind of situation. That's very important. That's what I try to do right after Wimbledon. And even if it's painful a little bit for a few days, you learn a lot of things about yourself, too.

Q. I have a question about your luggage? I understand the airline lost your luggage on the way to town?
JUSTINE HENIN: That's life, huh?

Q. Yeah. So how long did it take to you get your luggage, what was that like?
JUSTINE HENIN: A little bit more than 24 hours, I thought, yeah. But it's been a nightmare my trip. But it's okay, it's fine.

Q. Did that affect you, like your preparation at all your mind state?
JUSTINE HENIN: No, no, I think. Even if I'm really -- I'm not patient at all. That's not my biggest quality. It's a nightmare (smiling). But what you can do? Nothing. But it's tough. It's been a long trip, you just want to get fresh clothes and everything, and you just have to wait.
No, it's been tough. But nothing you can do, so I just try to be a little bit more mature in this kind of situation (smiling).

Q. I can just get your thoughts on tonight's game?
JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, thanks (laughing). I hoped it was going to come.
Yeah, no, it's been my first tournament back after Wimbledon. So it takes, like I said, a few games, maybe a few days to really come in the good rhythm. And she was hitting the ball very hard, actually, especially beginning of the match. And I was playing too short, I wasn't aggressive at all at that time because it was my first few games in a few weeks.
So it's a little bit normal. But I just kept very focused and kept working hard on every point. And finally won in two sets, so that's the most important thing.

Q. When you see Ana Ivanovic lose or get upset in her first round match, does that kind of play on you when you hit the courts today?
JUSTINE HENIN: No. But you know you can say, Okay she lost, but when you look at what she did in the last few days you understand a little bit more. Coming here after L.A., the jet lag, the fact that she won a few days ago. I thought she wasn't probably in the best conditions to win this match. So I understand that a little bit.
I just try to forget about that. Be really focused on myself. Because I wouldn't say I don't care about the other players, but you know, I don't want to lose too much energy to really stay concentrated on what the others are doing. I prefer to really be focused on my game and my goals, and that's important to me. It's one of the keys for me.

Q. You've had a light schedule because of the injury, but heading into the US Open, do you think that's going to be an advantage for you?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, almost, yeah, I was scheduled to play San Diego. But, unfortunately, I couldn't go. It's okay for me. I don't need to play that much to build confidence, and I need to be fresh. That's really something that we learned in the last few years, I would say. When I'm tired, I cannot be at my best level, like for anyone else.
And I just need to know myself. I know myself much more than in the past. So I know what's good, what's bad for me, and I think this situation can help me now.

Q. Is that something that you've learned in recent years? In the past were you somebody who was a bit of a workaholic and would play a lot of tournaments?
JUSTINE HENIN: I thought, when I became No. 1 player in the world for the first time end of 2003, and I played so well beginning of 2004. I was winning everything, and I was playing a lot. Then I got this virus, and after that I realized that that was too much for my body.
So it's okay, you know. You have to know how you can deal with that, and you need to know yourself a lot. So I'm not able to play so much like many other players. But it's okay, because every time I'm on the court, I just want to be able to compete 100%, and that's what I'm doing.
I have another life also after tennis, and I want to stay healthy for that life, because it's going to be a real one.

Q. You mentioned that you hurt your other wrist on vacation, what exactly did you do?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, I'm not going to talk too much about that because I'm not proud of it. But, no comment (laughing).

End of FastScripts

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