Player of the year 2003

Justine Henin-Hardenne

The Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne won eight tournaments (Dubai, Charleston, German Open, Roland Garros, San Diego, Canadian Open, US Open, Zurich) including two Grand Slam tournaments, became the new No 1 and all this in one season. Justine Henin-Hardenne is definitely one of the greatest and most important players of the year 2003.

Great and exciting matches, we saw a lot of them from Justine this year. Australian Open 2003, the new number one won against Lindsay Davenport 7:5 5:7 9:7; French Open 2003, she defeated Serena Williams 6:2 4:6 7:5 in the semi-final; US Open 2003, semi-final and Justine won against Jennifer Capriati 4:6 7:5 7:6.

She plays, she fights, she wins, that is why many people love her. This year she won the “Sanex Hero of the Year 2003” award.

It was Henin-Hardenne’s best season ever. Playing 18 tournaments where she reached eleven finals and won eight WTA titles. From all the 84 matches she played, she finished 73 of them as the winner.

As Justine Henin-Hardenne said it in her own words:

“If people would have said to me at the beginning of the season, that I would win two Grand Slams this year and would finish as the number one, I never would have believed them…”

Maybe not everybody expected such a great and successful season from the small Belgian woman but now they all must say that 2003 was Justine Henin-Hardenne’s season.