Seven Grand Slam singles titles, an Olympic gold medal, 43 WTA singles titles, and a total of 117 weeks as the world No. 1. These are just a few of Justine Henin’s accomplishments throughout her storied tennis career. Despite retiring from the sport in 2011, Henin has still remained an active member of the tennis community, dedicating her life to passing on lifelong values to young tennis players at the Justine Henin Academy. In addition to coaching, Henin also founded Justine for Kids, an organization dedicated to supporting chronically ill and disabled children and their families.
Based on her own personal experiences in the sport, the Justine Henin Academy was built on the philosophy that process is more important than the result itself. Henin vowed to create a relationship-based learning environment, where training methods were based on each individual athlete, rather than a one size fits all mentality. At her academy, Henin strives to adapt training methods to every age and skill-level, while focusing on the development of individual values. These values include humility, respect, will, self-control, autonomy, and self-confidence.
After winning the singles title at the Roland-Garros four times, Henin will return to Paris on May 25thand 26thfor the WTCA Conference Paris. At our conference, she will share her experiences as an athlete, coach, and philanthropist. Known as one of the most technically skilled and mentally tough athletes to ever play the game, Henin provides a unique perspective on building a winning mentality and program. But perhaps Henin’s most valuable insights derive from her athlete-centered coaching style.
As coaches of female tennis players, we know that each woman requires a unique style of coaching. Join us in learning from Justine Henin, as she explains the importance of building specific and meaningful relationships with her athletes, while also being flexible to each personality. At the Justine Henin Academy, quality engagement is one of the key goals for each coach. By fostering an environment of adaptive learning, each athlete has the tools to develop to their full potential.
Improving women’s tennis starts at an education level, and Justine Henin is one of the greatest to ever play the game. With her game-changing mentality, the WTCA Conference Paris is equipped with the necessary resources to change the landscape of the women’s tennis coaching.