Game set match

It has always amazed me how this petite 5-foot-6 inch wonder can beat taller and stronger players in the tour. But then again, you have to remember that Martina Hingis is short and petite too, although she has a nicer figure (often referred as the Swiss Alps, not her, but some part of her body), and she hung on the top spot for years before her injuries forced her into retirement. Of course, she is back now, but the fire and determination that used to burn in her has diminished a bit. She still hangs in the top 20, but to add another Slam to her 5 Slams collection (she has another 8 in doubles), it would take more than a miracle for it to happen. Her break-up with fellow player Radek Stepanek could be the first step towards inching herself up the ranks, since he has always been a distraction for her.

Back to Justine, she won this year's US Open in style, demolishing Svetlana in straight set in less than an hour. The victory also ensured the world's No. 1 would finish the championship without having dropped a set, a feat that included victories over both Serena and Venus Williams. She now is a proud winner of 7 slams, and has been on top on the world ranking for as long as I can remember now. Forget about the other pretenders (namely Maria Sharapova), they way she is playing right now, she will be on top for years to come.

She also won the French Open this year, beating Ana Ivanovic in straight sets and only dropping 3 games, while not dropping a single set en route the finals. It was a pity she lost to 18th seeded Marion Bartoli in the Wimbledon semifinals, else she could have wrapped that title under her belt if she beats Venus in the finals. She skipped the Australian Open this year, having to go through a bad separation with her husband at that time. But she persevered, and put her personal problems behind her, as she raised herself and her playing level and distanced herself from the other competitors. Just how good has she been this year? She won a tour-leading seven titles while going 50-4 at 11 tournaments.

"This one is maybe the most important one. The quality I played in the last few matches has been amazing, and it's a great feeling, because I had a tough draw," said Henin, also winner in 2003. "I had a lot of things to prove to myself. Not to anyone else, but to myself. And I did it."

"When I was a little girl, I was dreaming of winning just one Grand Slam in my career, and I've won seven," Henin said. "It's still hard to believe."