Didn't see this coming, at all...

Henin retires on top after early-season slump

Justine Henin abruptly retired from tennis Wednesday, ending a short and successful career in which she won seven Grand Slam singles titles and leaves while ranked No. 1.

Henin, who has been in a slump all spring, made the announcement official at a news conference in her native Belgium.

"It's the end of a wonderful adventure but it's something I have been thinking about for a long time," Henin, who turns 26 on June 1, said at the news conference.

Her agent, Ken Meyerson, told ESPN.com's Bonnie D. Ford that Henin called him Sunday evening and, in what he described as a "warm" conversation, said, "I've won everything I need to win, I have more money than I can use in three lifetimes, and I don't have the will to play one day more."

Henin told Meyerson she had been thinking about the decision for five or six months. Her play over that period has been flat, partly because of a troublesome knee that required cortisone treatment, but Meyerson said the reasoning behind her retirement is all emotional.

"She's simply burned out and has no more juice to go on," Meyerson told ESPN.com.

"I was surprised at the urgency of the decision. We, as agents, like long farewells. I'm really sad," he said. "She did so much for the game, and we need her in the women's game. Pound-for-pound, she was one of the best tennis players in history. She was an underdog. She was someone we could relate to."

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour said Henin would be remembered for her seven Grand Slam titles, three years as the tour's No. 1 and willingness to overcome professional and personal obstacles.

"Justine Henin will be remembered as one of the all-time great champions in women's tennis, and a woman who made up for her lack of size with a will to win and fighting spirit that was second to none," tour CEO Larry Scott said. "It is rare that an athlete leaves at the very top of her game in this day and age, but Justine has always played by her own rules, in the very best sense of those words."

"This is a sad day for our sport and for her millions of fans around the world, but I know that I speak for so many in wishing Justine the very best in her future endeavors and hope that she will stay connected to the sport to which she gave so much."

Henin, who has battled through injuries and a divorce, had a standout season in 2007, winning two Grand Slam championships, eight other tour titles and over $5 million.

However, after winning her home tournament in Antwerp in February, she has been on one of the worst skids of her career, failing to go beyond the quarterfinals at any event.

Henin's year began with a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open quarterfinals in January, followed by a 6-2, 6-0 drubbing by Serena Williams at the Sony Ericsson Open in April, the worst loss for a top-ranked player in nine years.

At last week's German Open, Henin was upset 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 by Dinara Safina in the third round, and then pulled out of this week's Italian Open, citing fatigue.

Wednesday's announcement came less than two weeks before the start of Henin's favorite tournament, the French Open, which she has won the past three years as well as in 2003. She also won the Australian Open in 2004, and the U.S. Open in 2003 and 2007.

The only Grand Slam title to elude Henin is Wimbledon, where she was runner-up in 2001 and 2006.

Henin has been ranked No. 1 since Nov. 13, 2006, except for a seven-week period last year when Sharapova held the top spot. Henin has won about $20 million in career prize money.