TENNIS in DEPTH.

The return of Justine Henin to the WTA tour, following on the heels of the successful return of Kim Clijsters, has every tournament director salivating. At a time when the WTA is lacking in appeal, and with the inevitable retirement of its dynamic duo a reality, the return of a former champion is a blessing in disguise.

But has Kim’s return set a standard too high for Justine? Should we expect Henin to demolish the field of young guns on her first day back in Brisbane, or to quickly jump into the forefront of contenders at the 2010 Aussie Open?

If I had to make a choice, I would pick Maria Sharapova’s chances over Henin’s of making it to the the #1 position.

At her prime Justine’s game was among the best, maybe the best, with a backhand straight out of the textbook, but for all its beauty her game was fragile. Hers was a game of finesse, not athleticism, a game of precision, not brute force, a game of guile and cunning, not of power and repetition. And because of this it will be much more difficult for her to recapture her former glory or even a close facsimile of it.

By contrast Kim Clijsters’s greatest attribute was her movement and athleticism not her delicate shots, and to recapture athleticism is not difficult for any natural athlete. She proved she still had what it took to be a top ten player, but Henin’s task will not be as easy.

But whether she puts her stamp on the tour or not, her presence is more than welcome. Just don’t expect too much.

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