Serena will rule again if she wants to, says Henin

JUSTINE Henin tipped her old rival Serena Williams to come back after her pregnancy and reign supreme once again – saying what Serena wants, she usually gets.

Henin, who won seven Grand Slams, said Serena’s absence opened the door for a new champion to step up and seize this year’s Wimbledon crown.

But the 35-year-old Belgian, who retired in 2011 and two months ago had her own second child, has no plans to make a stellar comeback of her own and do battle with Serena once more.

“We could have a lot of surprises with Serena coming back after having a child. It certainly won’t be easy. But when she wants something, usually she gets it!” Henin told AFP.

“I’m very curious, I can’t wait to see that. I hope she’s going to come back – she can do it, that’s for sure, and she’s perhaps the only one who could do it,” coming back to challenge for Grand Slam titles and the No. 1 spot in her mid-thirties.

Henin had a decade of battles with Serena between 2001 and 2010, with the American edging their duels 8-6.

The 1.67m tall Belgian, who won four French, two US and one Australian Open title, and reached the Wimbledon final twice, was back at the All England Club on Tuesday to receive her International Tennis Hall of Fame ring, after being inducted into the ITHF in 2016.

Looking at the line-up for today’s women’s semi-finals, she tipped Spain’s Garbine Muguruza to go on and win her first Wimbledon title.

“It is exciting and interesting because every girl can win it. But I would say Muguruza because she played a great match against Angelique Kerber,” costing the German the world No. 1 ranking.

“She has a good game on grass also so she has the capacity to go to the end.

“But Venus Williams, I admire the fact that she’s still here, with lots of motivation and determination. I also hope she can get to the final. Johanna Konta is dealing well with the expectations. So it’s really open. It’s very hard to predict.”

Henin was full of admiration for Venus, who at 37 is two years her senior.

“She had ups and downs but she never quit. She keeps the passion, she wants to be there, she still has the fire. She has been an inspiration for all of us. Venus and Serena gave a lot to women’s tennis,” Henin said.