Henin's tactics

Henin's tactics

LTA coach Dan Thorp:
Although she is now retired, Justine Henin is capable of beating any other player on the tour on any surface.

Henin's variety on the backhand wing is unrivalled - in fact John McEnroe described it as the most technically complete single-handed backhand in the men's or the women's games.

While most of her opponents tend to just use a two-handed backhand drive, Henin can use top-spin, attack with slice, defend with slice, drop shot and approach.

She is able to use this variety to neutralise her opponent's attacks and to impose her game on them.

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Henin is able to hit both a kick and a slice on her second serve. The other players on the tour commonly use the slice but few are able to hit the kick (top-spin) serve with real effectiveness.

Most female players shy away from using the kick serve. When it is not well executed it tends to 'stand up' and asks to be attacked.

Henin, however, hits the serve so well that she is able to move her opponent right outside the court, particularly when serving from the left court.

Once she has pushed her opponent outside the court she is able to attack into the space.

Henin prefers to play and attack from the back of the court, but she is also a competent volleyer. This adds an extra element to her game.

Many of the attacking baseline players tend to hang back. This can let their opponents back into the rally.

Henin does not let this happen. When she attacks she senses when her opponent is stretched and is quite happy to close into the net and pick off the easy volley.

This means less work for her - and no way back in to the rally for her scrambling opponent.

With such a technically and tactically complete game it could be argued that Henin-Hardenne has taken the women's game to a new level.

Her only weakness appears to be a susceptibility to mental and physical fatigue.

If she manages to stay mentally fresh and injury free then she has the potential to be one of the greats in the women's game.