"My first memories watching tennis was Steffi Graf" - Justine Henin reveals inspirations behind her world-class one-handed backhand

Tennis legend Justine Henin recently gave Steffi Graf props for being the primary inspiration behind her picking up a one-handed backhand in her early years. The seven-time Major winner also recounted looking at several pictures depicting her backhand slice preparation, which she found eerily similar to that of her German idol's.

Henin was arguably the best player of the 2000s decade of WTA tennis behind only Serena Williams. After completing a four-peat at the French Open (2003, 2005-07) and enjoying 117 weeks as the World No. 1, she abruptly hung up her racket in 2008, citing mental and physical exhaustion. Although the Belgian returned to pro tennis two years later, she ultimately retired for good in 2011 due to an elbow injury.

In a rather rare podcast appearance for Caroline Garcia's Tennis Insider Club, Justine Henin admitted that Steffi Graf's monopoly of the French Open was one of her "first memories watching tennis". The 43-year-old also claimed that six-time Major titlist Stefan Edberg was also one of the favorites growing up before attributing the Swede and the 23-time Major winner's knack for slicing and on-court elegance as a big influence on her.

"I did, I did. I was a big fan. My first memories watching tennis on TV was Steffi Graf at Roland Garros," Justine Henin replied when asked by Caroline Garcia about whether she picked up a one-handed backhand right away as a child. "And my other idol was Stefan Edberg. So they were more slicing, I agree, but still they were really, I mean, they're elegance on the court and also their personality, pretty not shy, but you know, not more introvert. I did like it very much."

"So when I saw Steffi and when I saw some pictures recently of me at the age of 9 or 10 and the preparation on the slice was exactly the same as it was for Steffi Graf."

During her illustrious career, Justine Henin was renowned for not only the effortless-looking action on her one-handed backhand but its effectiveness, as well. However, her father and a few other well-wishers almost took away this gem from tennis fans if the seven-time Major winner's latest account is anything to go by.

"But then I started to hit one hand backhand and so many, my dad first one said, you don't have enough power, you need to take the two hands, especially on the return." she added. "But I did resist to a lot of people that wanted me to change my backhand."

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"Watching Steffi Graf and Monica Seles fighting with respect was an inspiration for me": When Justine Henin recalled watching famous 1992 French Open final

Going by a previous anecdote shared by Justine Henin during her Hall of Fame acceptance speech in 2016, she watched the 1992 French Open three-set final battle between Steffi Graf and Monica Seles at the age of nine. The Belgian reminisced about her humble beginnings while claiming that at the time, she had told her mother that she would do anything to emulate Graf and Seles by winning the French Open one day.

"At six years old, I was into my room. I grew up in a small village in the south of Belgium," Justine Henin said back then. "Then I went to the French Open with my mom, as Monica said. Watching these two women, these two incredible women, fighting with respect, with a lot of passion, with a lot of dedication, it has been just an unbelievable inspiration for me. I said to my mom, One day I will do like these girls and I will win the French Open."

Steffi Graf, meanwhile, dropped her 1992 Paris title-match to Seles by a valiant scoreline of 2-6, 6-3, 8-10. The defeat didn't impede the German's march to greatness, though, as she went on to record four more triumphs on the famed terre battue (1993, 1995-96, 1999) to end her career with 23 Major titles.