Aussie press hit out at Henin

2006-01-30 08:18

Melbournen - The fall-out continues over Justine Henin-Hardenne's controversial decision to retire with illness from the abbreviated Australian Open women's final last Saturday.

The Belgian eighth seed retired with stomach cramps in an adverse reaction to taking anti-inflammatories for a shoulder injury when trailing Amelie Mauresmo 1-6 0-2 after 52 minutes of the final.

"It's me that is feeling the bad way I was feeling. I don't care about what these people would say," Henin-Hardenne told reporters when asked if it was unprofessional to quit and not play out the match.

Henin-Hardenne, a winner here in 2004, earned $458 000 as the runner-up to Mauresmo, who claimed her first Grand Slam title.

Aussie newspapers took Henin to task

But Australian newspapers on Monday took Henin-Hardenne to task, saying that she not only owed the paying spectators but Mauresmo the right to win the tournament with her racquet and not by forfeit.

"Mauresmo deserved her moment, the right to spontaneously accept the applause of the crowd and the right to holler and scream with joy," The Australian newspaper said.

"That was denied her because Henin-Hardenne came to the conclusion she could not win.

"It was an egocentric decision but in keeping with a sport that wallows in the culture of self-interest."

The Melbourne Age asked whether Henin-Hardenne should have found a way to hang about a little longer, swinging at a few balls and completing the match.

"Instead, what should have been all about the winner has ended up, again, being mostly about the loser," The Age said.

It was disgraceful - The Australian

The Australian quoted veteran American tennis writer Bud Collins as saying of Henin-Hardenne's quit decision:

"In a word, disgraceful. I think a professional plays, it wasn't a life-or-death condition, she didn't have a bodily injury and if you play on maybe your opponent will fall and twist a leg.

"You can't walk out like that and take away A$600 000 with 15 000 people sitting there and millions watching around the globe."

Mauresmo refused to be drawn into the controversy, saying she was happy to win any way she could, but added that "I was ready to die on the court today."

- AFP