And now Justine is gone...

Belated thoughts, post Justine's retirement announcement.

She was one reason why I started watching tennis again. As even Federer said, she was 'remarkable' in that she was small and yet, how many times have we seen her cream players

who were giants in comparison? She has had a number of dubious 'sports-womanship' moments but I admire her guts and grit. The most memorable match in that category was her 2003 US Open semi-final against Jennifer Capriati. And then, of course, there is her backhand, which will be missed for a long time.

For once, Serena Williams had something nice to say, "She was a great champion and she gave me a world of trouble, so I hope the best for her. What can you say about such a great champion? I don't think we have enough time."

So, looks like the ladies' French Open trophy is up for grabs now. The tournament will be really different without her. It would almost be like having the men's tournament without Nadal.

As for him, he certainly looks like he's on his way to his fourth Roland Garros title, no matter what Federer or Djokovic say or think. Watched some matches from the Hamburg Masters and, my, the look on his face... So, barring uncharacteristic mental lapses, injury or unforeseen happenings, I think the trophy is his.

Who knows what will happen with the ladies? I shall keep a close watch, listening to commentary in a foreign language once again.

That very exciting match with Jennifer Capriati

Anyhow, allez Justine! All the best for the rest of your life!

All pictures from here.

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