Henin Illness Hands Mauresmo Australian Title
Amelie Mauresmo claimed her first Grand Slam title when Justine Henin-Hardenne was forced to retire due to a stomach illness during the Australian Open final.
Henin-Hardenne was trailing 6-1 2-0 when she told the umpire she could not continue saying that she had ” no energy “.
The Belgian later explained that the problem was a stomach upset probably brought on by the anti-inflammatories that she has been taking for her injured shoulder.
This was the third time in the tournament that France’s Mauresmo had benifited from an opponent retiring.
But the manner of the victory should not take away the magnitude of the achievement for a woman who had waited since losing the 1999 Melbourne final for another chance of a Grand Slam.
” My first words are for Justine - it’s disappointing for everybody to end this way so I hope you get better and recover quickly, ” she said afterwards.
” All the people still believed in me, after seven years - it’s a long time. ”
For Henin-Hardenne this was ” one of the biggest ” disappoints in her career but paid tribute to Mauresmo.
” I’m sure she enjoys this moment and she deserves that,” she said.