Women’s world number one Justine Henin on Wednesday sent a shock wave to her fans and rocked the whole tennis world by announcing her retirement from the sport. A dry-eyed Henin walked into the news conference room in her native Belgium and declared an end to her career at the age of 25.
“It’s a page that’s turning; I don’t feel sadness, it’s more relief,” Henin said. “I know it’s a shock for many people, but it’s a decision I’ve thought long and hard about.”

She added, “It’s the end of a marvelous adventure, an end of something that I’ve dreamed about since I was 5 years old.”

The stars of today sounded equally stunned, including Roger Federer and Serena Williams, Henin’s longtime rival. “She was a great champion and she gave me a world of trouble, so I hope the best for her,” Williams said at the WTA tournament in Rome.

Henin headed the official WTA rankings released Monday for the 117th consecutive week, but pulled out of the Rome Masters this week blaming tiredness. She was ranked the number one by the World Tennis Association.

Henin explained that she is now interested to concentrate on her personal life and her new Belgian tennis academy and has lost the desire to train and compete in the sports.

Henin has been beaten four times in four months in 2008 including a 6-2, 6-0 hammering by Serena Williams in Miami last month.

Her latest defeat and last appearance on court came at last week’s German Open where she made a shock exit when coming off second best in a two and a half hour third round marathon against Russia’s Dinara Safina.

She will be remembered as one of the finest women tennis players ever, overcoming her small stature and a troubled family life to rise to the summit of her sport.

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