HENIN - WHAT'S ON HER MIND

When Henin appeared on the tennis scene, I looked under her visor, past her stone face, into her dark eyes which seem to be squinting in fear at the outside world “What secrets and dark tales lie behind?”

For years Henin's family life has been clouded by controversy following an extraordinary rift with her father and other male relatives. Henin's mother, to whom she was very close, died when she was 12 and five years later she left the family home for good, cutting off all ties with her father and two elder brothers, for reasons which have never been made public. The only members of the family who attended her wedding in 2002, four years after she had met Pierre-Yves, were two aunts. Her father, two brothers, sister, grandparents and paternal uncles were not invited.

Henin's late withdrawal from the Australian Open had taken everybody by surprise - her clothing sponsors had even designed a special outfit to help her cope with the Melbourne heat.

Within weeks of lifting the WTA crown for the first time, Henin, an intensely private person, announced the breakdown of her marriage, pulled out of the Australian Open, thereby, losing the world No 1 ranking to Sharapova. Two months later, however, she was back on the circuit and her return has been so successful that she goes into this week's Miami tournament as the world's leading player once again. Sharapova helped Henin along by working on her serve during the Aus Open [ Daddy, work on her serve after the Slam!!!!!!!!], and exiting Indian Wells in the early rounds.