`Grown-up` Belgians relieved rivalry restricted to court
Justin Henin and Kim Clijsters have gone from exchanging angry glances over the net to friendly text message banter, the Wimbledon last-16 opponents said on Friday.
|Last Updated: Jun 26, 2010, 09:14 AM IST|Source: Bureau
London: Justin Henin and Kim Clijsters have gone from exchanging angry glances over the net to friendly text message banter, the Wimbledon last-16 opponents said on Friday.
The two Belgians, who will face each other on Monday, have met 24 times, including in three grand slam finals, but have not always enjoyed the best of relationships.
"I think we`ve definitely grown up," eighth seed Clijsters told reporters after blitzing 27th seed Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-3 in her third-round match.
"I think we`ve had great times together playing Fed Cup and just messaging each other on phones, teasing each other, fun, you know, relax. I think that`s how I would have liked it to have always been."
Clijsters waved goodbye to tennis in May 2007 and 12 months later seven-times grand slam winner Henin sent shockwaves through the sport when she quit as world number one, vowing never to return.
But the lure of the court and competition proved too strong for both players and within the space of a few months in 2009 both returned with a bang.
Clijsters completed her fairytale comeback when she became the first mother to win a grand slam in 30 years at the U.S. Open while Henin almost matched her with a major when finishing runner up at the Australian Open in January.
"Our relationship is very good," Henin said after crushing 12th seed Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-4.
"We feel we grew up a lot, both of us. I mean, Kim, having a baby, and the distance I took also for two years.”
"We probably discover each other not differently than in the past, but we are more adult now, and we have a lot of respect. So, of course on the court, we both want to win, but the relationship is very good."
Henin, who looked nimble and compact in comparison to the cumbersome Petrova, took just 68 minutes to grind her Russian opponent into the ground with an array of punishing backhands and delicate drop shots.
"I just go step by step," she added. "It was a very good one today. I`m very happy the way I played. The next match, of course, is going to be very difficult. I think my game is good now."
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.