More than most Justine Henin understood the greatness of Serena Williams.
Over the course of her three-decade career, the 43-year-old unleashed dominance the likes of which had rarely been seen in the sport.
She broke numerous records and changed the way the sport was played, and the American would go on to win 23 Grand Slam titles.
She defeated a plethora of rivals along the way, including Justine Henin, one of Serena Williams’ greatest foes.
Photo by ADAM DAVY/POOL/AFP/AFP via Getty ImagesWhat does Justin Henin think was the secret to Serena Williams’ success?
Williams’ ferocious power combined with her elite athletics was a nightmare for each of her opponents throughout her illustrious career.
She is regarded by many as the greatest server of all time, and the sheer intensity she brought to the court made her extremely difficult to beat.
Henin played against Williams on tennis’ grandest stages, and knows how tough it is to play against her former rival.
During an interview with The Quint’s YouTube channel in 2019, Henin, who won seven majors in her own right, discussed Wlliams’s career and explained what she thinks was the secret to her unparalleled success.
“The secret is the passion and the mental [strength],” the Belgian said. “She wants to be there, she is taking care of herself. That gives her the possibility to play longer but it’s really the mental part.
“I think with her daughter also, she wants to prove that she can come back and when Serena wants something usually she gets it!
“That is why she is so strong because she has the conviction. High confidence in herself and that’s what makes her a great champion.”
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty ImagesWhat is Justin Henin’s head-to-head record against Serena Williams?
Over the course of nine years, Henin and Williams played one another on 14 occasions.
This was one of the closer rivalries in Serena’s career, as the former World number one won eight of those matches.
Henin however, won four of their seven matches at Grand Slams, including three successive wins at the 2007 French Open, Wimbledon and US Open events.
But Williams had the final say as she emerged victorious in the 2010 Australian Open final, despite struggling with a knee injury, which as the fifth of her seven titles at Melbourne Park.