Henin-Hardenne denies being unprofessional

MELBOURNE – Justine Henin-Hardenne denied Saturday it was unprofessional not to finish the Australian Open final and give Amelie Mauresmo the pleasure of a true victory.

The Belgian, who earned US$458,000 for being runner-up, retired with stomach cramps when trailing 1-6, 0-2. She said the pain was caused by increasing the dosage of anti-inflammatories she was taking for a shoulder injury, and kept her up most of the previous night.”I mean, everyone has the right to think that,” she said when asked if it was unprofessional not to finish.”But it’s my health.I just have to think about myself right now because it’s only me on the court.”It’s me that is feeling the bad way I was feeling.I don’t care about what these people would say.”She said she feared a more serious injury if she continued and denied it detracted from Mauresmo’s victory.”If I would have kept playing and continued, maybe I would injure something else, so that was the best decision, even if it was very, very hard for me,” she said.”No, I don’t think so (detracted from win), because you have to take the opportunities.It’s not her fault.I think that she did her job perfectly.”Mauresmo refused to be drawn into the controversy, saying she was happy to win any way she could, but added that “I was ready to die on the court today.””That’s just the way I was coming out on the court this afternoon,” said the Frenchwoman.Henin-Hardenne had not complained of illness or injury previously in the tournament, describing her form before the final as “amazing”.She has been dogged by injury and illness over the past two years, including a debilitating viral infection, although she said Saturday’s problem was unrelated.-Nampa-AFPShe said the pain was caused by increasing the dosage of anti-inflammatories she was taking for a shoulder injury, and kept her up most of the previous night.”I mean, everyone has the right to think that,” she said when asked if it was unprofessional not to finish.”But it’s my health.I just have to think about myself right now because it’s only me on the court.”It’s me that is feeling the bad way I was feeling.I don’t care about what these people would say.”She said she feared a more serious injury if she continued and denied it detracted from Mauresmo’s victory.”If I would have kept playing and continued, maybe I would injure something else, so that was the best decision, even if it was very, very hard for me,” she said.”No, I don’t think so (detracted from win), because you have to take the opportunities.It’s not her fault.I think that she did her job perfectly.”Mauresmo refused to be drawn into the controversy, saying she was happy to win any way she could, but added that “I was ready to die on the court today.””That’s just the way I was coming out on the court this afternoon,” said the Frenchwoman.Henin-Hardenne had not complained of illness or injury previously in the tournament, describing her form before the final as “amazing”.She has been dogged by injury and illness over the past two years, including a debilitating viral infection, although she said Saturday’s problem was unrelated.-Nampa-AFP