Henin impressed with Serena's dominance, disappointed in lack of competition

TORONTO – Justine Henin is amazed by the way her former rival Serena Williams is still dominating her peers on the WTA Tour.

But that doesn’t mean she thinks that’s what’s best for women’s tennis.

“I think that for the game it will be very important that we need two, three or four players behind her that really try to push her much more,” Henin said. “It is very important.

“Even if we all like to have one idol that we run after, I think it's a little bit too much.”

Henin, a two-time winner of the Rogers Cup, was inducted into the tournament’s Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Her wins in Canada – both in Toronto in 2003 and 2007 – were two of her 43 career titles, which include seven Grand Slams. Armed with a wicked one-handed backhand, the Belgian also won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Henin, 33, retired in 2011 after dealing with an elbow injury.

Yet, there is Williams, who turns 34 in September, with all four Grand Slams in her possessions and a chance to win them all in 2015.

“What I admire and respect so much is still that Serena remains the boss,” Henin said. “I mean, at her age, after everything she accomplished, probably she will do the Grand Slam this year and beat some records. It's something that we all have to respect. I know what it takes to wake up and still want to go to do the hard work and that's fantastic.

“The thing that I regret a little bit is that I don't have the feeling that she's really pushed by the other players.”

Williams has only lost one match this season, heading into her Rogers Cup semifinal matchup with Belinda Bencic.

The world’s No. 2 ranked player Maria Sharapova hasn’t beaten Williams in her last 17 tries.

Henin thinks there may be a potential rivalry brewing with Victoria Azarenka, who beat Williams twice in 2013 and pushed her to three sets at the French Open and Wimbledon this year.

However, Azarenka sports a 3-17 lifetime record against Williams.

“She was very close at the French Open and in different tournaments in the past few weeks,” Henin said. “There are many girls that can play good tennis, but it's not consistent enough. I wish I could see four or five or six girls that really go – that we know in every tournament it's the same girls that we're going to see at the end of the tournament so the level can get higher. 

“I wish the girls can be more consistent and believe that they can beat Serena because some players proved in the past that it is possible. I think they don't believe in it enough.”

Henin’s opinion sounded very similar to what some of the sport’s top players were saying coming into the tournament.

No. 2 seed Simona Halep reaffirmed Henin’s claims after a 6-4, 6-4 win over Sara Errani in the first semifinal on Saturday.

“She's right, because we see that Serena is winning everything and we are thinking that we cannot beat her,” Halep said.

Henin, of course, is one of those players that gave Williams a run for her money.

She and Williams were great rivals with Henin winning almost half the career matchups (six of 14).

What’s the secret? The answer: perfection, or as close to it as possible, physically and mentally.

“When you want to beat Serena you need to be at your best all the time,” Henin said. “You have to believe that you can do it. That's the first thing. And then you need to from the first point until the end to be 100 per cent in terms of energy and putting a lot of pressure. 

“You need to be good in defence because you know that Serena is hitting the ball very hard. You're going to suffer, of course, because she's going to hit the ball very hard and she's going to move you.”

Henin has stayed at arm’s length from the sport. She did some commentary at the French Open and Wimbledon this year and has an academy in her native Belgium.

She’s watched Williams and her competitors from afar, astonished by the world’s No. 1 player, while largely disappointed by the others.

“I am a little surprised that she still wants to be here, that's for sure,” Henin said. “She still has the fire.

“But I am more so surprised we don't have girls – a new generation – that really say, ‘OK, the old ones (are gone). We take (your) place.’

“It's not over yet. I hope it's going to happen.”