How tennis queen Justine Henin can leave you lost for words

I want to write a glowing commentary about Justine Henin, one of greatest female tennis stars ever. But I just can’t.

This motivation came about after Justine miraculously reached the finals of the recently concluded Australian Open – just her second tournament after a 15-month voluntary lay-off – where she was narrowly beaten by the sport’s most intimidating player, Serena Williams.

Justine, of course, is nowhere near as physically powerful Serena. Also, Justine doesn’t possess that physical intimidation factor that her Australian Open final opponent does.

Serena Williams is arguably the best tennis player the modern era has ever seen. Her win in Australia was her 12th Grand Slam victory, tying her with the likes of Billie Jean King. Pairing with her sister Venus in doubles matches, Serena has a 141-19 career record, 11 Grand Slam titles and even two gold medal in the 2000 and 2008 Olympic Games.

And still there’s no end in sight.

So for Justine Henin to face down Serena Williams was a tough ask.

Nonetheless Justine did just that, matching Serena stride for stride and taking the world’s No. 1 women’s tennis player to three sets in a Grand Slam – something that hasn’t happened for quite some time. In the end, Justine lost 4-6 6-3 2-6 in one of the best finals I have witnessed in the women’s professional game.

So I was motivated to write something glowing about Justine Henin. But I just can’t.

I thought about why not. She is arguably the fiercest competitor on the women’s circuit. She has excellent speed that allows her to chase down just about everything; she has the footwork that is the envy of the best ballroom dancers on the planet; she has the best single-backhand shot I have ever seen in both the men’s and women’s game.

And she has the mental toughness to possibly even intimidate the great Serena. No less than tennis great Billie Jean King has said of Justine Henin that “pound for pound, she is the best tennis player of her generation.”

I should love Justine Henin. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t dislike her. I even deeply admire and respect her. But I just don’t love her.

The problem is that in a sport populated by bigger-than-big stars with gargantuan personalities, Justine Henin just doesn’t inspire glowing prose to be written about her.

Of her peers, I can write long essays about the “Monster” (and I say this with all respect) Serena Williams. Here is a player whose intensity makes your blood boil. She is the Grendel to the circuit’s Beowulf and she radiates power and passion in equal measure.

I can also write about the “Models” on the tennis circuit, which includes most – if not all – the Russian and East European female tennis players led by the incredibly glamorous goddesses pairing of Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic. Their good looks, coupled with their title winnings, makes a mockery of the common man and makes us believe that the gods do choose, and will truly bless, those who are chosen.

I could also write about the “Mother” Kim Clijsters, another Belgian and former world No. 1. Clijsters is the foil to the “models” on the circuit. She is the every-girl-done-good, once engaged to tennis hottie Lleyton Hewitt but eventually marrying her hometown hero Brian Lynch with whom she has a baby girl.

Of champions past on the women’s circuit, I could also write on and on about the "Indomitable” Steffi Graf, the “Giggly but Controversial” Martina Hingis, the "Female Matador” Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and even the similarly “Motherly” Lindsay Davenport. Going further back, there was, of course, the “Great Rivals” Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.

But of Justine Henin, I just can’t seem to find anything to say.

Tennis is a sport that probably more than any other worships its personalities simply because it's such an individual game. This is one of the very few sports that not only has such a global audience and appeal, but is possibly the only one where women can excel and are truly recognized and rewarded.

Its profile as a professional sport among women is probably unsurpassed and only perhaps athletics and golf comes a distance second.

Tennis needs its stars. It needs its personalities to build its aura and glamour around. In men’s tennis, we all clearly recognize and worship the suave of Roger Federer and the brutish sex appeal of Raffa Nadal. The pair have come to epitomize and embody the modern tennis era in the men’s game.

In the women’s game, advertising campaigns everywhere are built around the bestial Serena Williams and her foil, the elegant Maria Sharapova.

These personalities are what define tennis. They are what draws the crowd to the gladiatorial arena and makes us shout ourselves silly for the one to out-do the other.

They are our champions and they stand head-and-shoulders above everyone simply because their personality demands that they be treated as greater than equals. They are our demi-gods and we welcome them with open hearts and open arms.

I want to do the same with Justine Henin. But I can’t.