Venus Williams vs Justine Henin 2007 US Open SF Highlights

[@SHVideografie]

Henin's level was unbelievable back then.

[@olaraay]

when it was much harder to win a slam ...

[@renatoamaraldemiranda2558]

That’s why the both have 7 and Serena 23 😂

[@guillermopartida2518]

@@renatoamaraldemiranda2558 henin’s career was really short, Serena played many more matches, Justine won 7 grand slam in a little time and Venus won 7 in all her career.

[@renatoamaraldemiranda2558]

@@guillermopartida2518 that’s still the point that wasn’t harder coz there where a few doing it all the time

[@khv6748]

​@@renatoamaraldemiranda2558 it was indeed harder from 2003-07 to win slam when henin had won 7 slams serena had 8 slams serena started earlier than henin women's tour was flooded with grand slam champs hingis henin clijsters marypierce capriati mouremo davenport lina early days of powerful russians like kuznetsova sharapova myskina petrova dementieva vidisova early of serbians jankovic ivanovic all these players had very very short lived carrers barring sharapova and kuznetsova whose game was not the same as they were playing earlier sharapovas shoulder surgery ruined her serve completely had been around serena certainly wouldn't have won 23

[@krishnakumar2390]

Put iga on this era she will retire herself.

[@paskferr]

Best Henin ever seen on a hard court

[@pueraeternus111]

Justine at 5'5 1/2" played like a giant. Killer serve, forehand, volleys, ... and the most incredible backhand in history!

[@justincartwright252]

Happy to die on this hill. This match is one of the highest quality straight sets wins you'll see. These two did everything but give us a third set. The two they gave us were flat out brilliant. Bloody brilliant!

[@pierdomenicosommati443]

Hands down, one of the higher quality female matches ever. Another amazing quality female match was Wimbledon 99 semifinal, again with a losing Venus, that time vs the last super brilliant Steffi Graf, who was playing a totally different tennis compared to early 90's, much more varied, much more net projection.

[@deedledave9826]

@@pierdomenicosommati443 I think the Steffi Graf who showed up at the French Open final and Wimbledon Quarterfinal versus Venus was the best version of Graf. There was the power, but it was coupled with patience. She was thoughtful on the court, came to the net, worked her opponent around the court, and went for the kill when it was the right time to do so. If she decided to continue for a couple of years, you'd have to think she'd have won 2-3 more slams - those Capriati slams at the French could easily have been Graf's!

[@pierdomenicosommati443]

@@deedledave9826 at the time of her career, I used to hate her seemingly inevitable and endless dominance, which basically could be stopped just by injuries. But now, I utterly admire and love her unbelievable, Federer-like talent, and also the type of person she resulted to be, very shy but very lovable with her personal friends, and at the same the fiercest of opponents... Ask to Sabatini, who had countless exhausting battles vs Steffi, managing to beat her more often than any other player, but at the same time suffering 3x more defeats than the victories... They are still best friends and often in touch as of today, Gabriela says that she's "an incredible person".

[@deedledave9826]

@@pierdomenicosommati443 Interesting regarding Sabatini. I actually believe that Federer modelled aspects of his game off of Graf's. The movement, return of serve, etc.

[@coryclement6515]

This era so much better than now

[@arq.emmanuelserrano4821]

Way better.

[@kevinlakeman5043]

It was very top heavy. The top 8 or so players were truly exceptional, but then there was a noticeable drop off. While the current WTA does not have the women's GOAT and a top 6-8 as great, it is noticeably deeper. Capriati, Mauresmo, Hingis, Kuznetsova weren't better than most of the top 10-15 players currently.

[@pedropaivalemos]

and atp as well... battle os styles ... nowadays many players plays like robots

[@pb123451508]

Iconic point from Venus 4:20

[@seal-nowweretalking6753]

This is one of the greatest tennis matches you’ll ever see from what I consider to be a golden age of women’s tennis. It’s matches and contrasting styles like these that make me play the game. It’s often asked “why use a one-handed backhand when there’s much more power to be gained with two?” Well you will never see a more pure hitter of the ball than Justin Henin …..period!! Also I was never really a fan of Serena for many reasons but one of them being that I just preferred Venus’ game and variety so much more. To me she had more variety and was the more skilled player that just got over-shadowed by her sister in what must’ve been an almost impossible situation. In summery, THIS is why I approach the game the way I do. This is why I’m such a stickler for technique. This is why taking the time and the painstaking hours to work on mechanics is so important to me because then and only then does it become the worlds most beautiful game and if I can’t at least reach for this, then quite honestly I’d rather quit and do something else with my time. #AWESOME 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@nordattack]

Amen.

[@KH-sn2sj]

One of the best matches ever contested. Even tho Henin's not my favorite, she played exceptional!

[@user-be5qg7mr1s]

that short angled volley was beautiful

[@kecleonboi]

Why’d you have to highlight she’s not your favorite? Lol

[@GAjjl]

@@kecleonboi Right. How could you not like her? Even disposition. Flawless game. Agree, Kevin.

[@pawshands9706]

@@GAjjl I can understand. Henin was a surly and tacky competitor. She'd cheat, bark scream allez after her opponents miss, and she never gave any opponents credit. Yeah, I'm glad she left the game when she did.

[@simpbeforeusleep]

@@pawshands9706every player on the tour has cheered after an opponent misses a shot you’re just a hater

[@KH-sn2sj]

Superb play from Henin.

[@seensay2132]

She was definitely on something here.

[@user-be5qg7mr1s]

This should have been the final...incredible match

[@Ricky-mo6mv]

Justine wins the award for participating in the most amazingly competitive and highest quality matches in recent history. She always showed up to play at the highest level.

[@POObumpoopo]

It's amazing how much faster the courts were even just 12 years ago.

[@Luqas808]

vast difference

[@lucasalvarani317]

Today I can't watch tennis on these shit surface. That was the real tennis!

[@justineandserena]

No way the us open court today is just as fast as this court was.. it didn’t change Only the grass at Wimbledon changed which was a long time ago

[@pomerlain8924]

@@justineandserena It is slower today. The USO tournament director even admitted they had slowed the court down even more back in 2018. And the telling difference is how, back then, the lower bounce of the ball, especially on volleys, compared to now, where the ball sits up.

[@seanjenkins331]

Venus lost 3 HEARTBREAKING Semifinal matches at the US Open I can remember. 2005 to Kim Clijsters, when served for the match. 2007 against Justine. And 2017 against Sloane Stephens.

[@regulusarcturus]

The 2005 match against Kim was in the QF. She lost a heartbreaking SF against Kim in 2010. She also had a heartbreaking loss to Serena in 2008 in the QF when she had 10 set points in two sets but couldn’t convert.

[@2Clarence47]

She definitely should have beaten Sloane in 2017. She rushed to much.

[@secrets.295]

Problem with her is always her second serve. She never quite figure out how to strengthen her 2nd serve. You can actually see as time goes by and the women became more powerful and more athletic her 2nd serve just got punished like crazy. If only her second serve were a bit faster she would have had couple more GS

[@user-be5qg7mr1s]

ugh that 2005 match was insane against Kim. I wanted her to win that so bad

[@pomerlain8924]

@@user-be5qg7mr1s She looked in control of that match up 6-4 3-1, and then she seemed to tire. Might have been the first sign of her Sjogren's.

[@flavieflo848]

Like always Justine is so impressive ! 😍 Comme toujours Justine est tellement impressionnante 😍

[@fransiscoscaramanga674]

Justine was a great player, she was one of the few that could beat any of the Williams sisters on any given night.

[@RaphaelBas1995]

Well, possibly Serena, but her game did not match up well with Venus.

[@fransiscoscaramanga674]

@@RaphaelBas1995 in head to head, serena leads 8 to 6.. 7 times they met in grand slam tournaments an justine leads 4 to 3.. so justine had some success against serena.

[@RaphaelBas1995]

@@fransiscoscaramanga674 Yes, I understand that. I’m just analyzing the “any given day” part. I truly believe that against a Serena playing her best, Henin would not be able to win, but anything less and she’d have a chance. But even then, sometimes she wasn’t able to pull it off (Miami 2007, AO 2010. Their games did match up well though, hence the close H2H. And as for Venus, Henin just didn’t have the game to beat her most of the time. She had to be at her very best, and Venus had to be off. I think mostly because Venus plays with less topspin than Serena, so her groundstrokes gave Henin so much less time to react. She often got smothered.

[@secrets.295]

Nuh dont think she can beat Serena at her best. Because if she is really at her peak, its extremely2 hard to break her serve. Venus would be a very tough competitor but I think Henin would come on top.

[@RaphaelBas1995]

@@secrets.295 Henin’s game did not match up well against Venus. Whenever Venus played well, Justine simply did not have the time to set up her shots, because Venus hit with so much flat pace.

[@teej143]

Justine's era of women's tennis is my favorite, so good!

[@secrets.295]

Amazing match and amazing player. Both have amazing versatility to their game (I actually think Venus has much more all around game than Serena). Both creates amazing angels, both have great volleys, long rallies, and I both players did amazing slices and lobs. This is a match that have it all.

[@tomsd8656]

Serena has a better serve. That's a big advantage in the women game, and that's why she dominated. Even today, SW's serve would still be the best.

[@secrets.295]

@@tomsd8656 Yes. The problem with Venus to me is. She love the body serves so much, which I never understand why she loves it so much. It is so predictable and considering the women these days have to retrieve powerful shots all the time. A body serve is extremely inefficient. Serena was untouchable because she mastered her serve brilliantly and she is the greatest, I am not taking that away from her. However I honestly prefer Venus games. Her shots overall are more sound than Serena. I loveeeee her slice and it is so disappointing to me that she hardly ever utilizes it. Venus tends to use high balls for defence which is not really as effective as a slice and her slice is just gorgeous. She also has superb volleys. Serena's slice was passable, and she has an above average volley in my opinion.

[@JCole-fg3rr]

@@secrets.295 I’m sorry, but this is just pure delusion. Serena has the more all around game. That’s why Serena has three French Opens, and 8 Wimbledons. Serena’s shots are more sound. Hence why they hold up under pressure much better and she’s always made considerably less errors. Serena is not just some serve-bit! You don’t win 23 slams with just a serve.

[@batagorshow9122]

I think henin is the best tennis player in history. Amazing.

[@zuichiang5088]

6:47 this is why I miss Justine Henin's skills on the court

[@secrets.295]

I miss this old Venus too. Miss both of them

[@Scott_22]

Level of tennis here far exceeds womens tennis from 2021 us open. Quite unusual to see, but true.

[@robertoramirezbarrera8770]

Podemos hablar de el hecho que Justine no solo era la tipica contragolpeadora que se queda detras de la linea sin hacer nada mas que pasar pelotas, a como lo hacen hoy Halep, Kerber, Wozniacki, Sakari, Radwanska. Sino que Justine era agresiva e iba por los puntos, aunque se le hacía dificil dictar los puntos a traves de la potencia, ella proponía con efectos en la pelota, angulos y dropshots y tenía la mirada ganadora. Y lo que mas me encanta es que justine era impecable en la red. Los partidos entre ella y venus eran bonitos porque había variedad desde el fondo de la cancha y ambas hacían magia en la red.

[@darkmatter5424]

Justine had to beat 3 former US Open champions that year to win the title.

[@guillermopartida2518]

And she didn’t lose a set

[@scottcole6093]

Great match! Sucks that it didn’t go three sets. I remember Venus later on pointing back to getting weirdly tired in this match as an early indicator of a problem, which eventually turned out to be Sjogren’s of course

[@olaraay]

This was the final !

[@abdullahsuherman2186]

Yes final vs venus... semis vs serena... quarter vs svetlana 🤣

[@remik82]

Best footwork ever

[@clarissanathania9082]

Justine henin is my favorite player

[@kujursameer86]

One of the best women’s tennis. Venus at her best was a formidable opponent for Justin at her best. Even better than Serena. Just my opinion.

[@brenchengbrencheng4794]

Clear enough your opinion seemed unpopular considering no one took notice or responded, except for myself who is here to tell you Serena at her best is better than anyone else. That's why she's the GOAT, statistics dont lie and you need to watch more tennis because I dont think you know the sport enough clearly based on your own opinion. 🙄

[@karoldettlaff5345]

@@brenchengbrencheng4794 statistics don't play. Prime Henin was better than prime Serena

[@thomasmiles340]

Good comment. Venus was certainly a better volleyer than Serena ever was. Cheers.

[@Ricky-mo6mv]

Justine played great against both Williams sisters. She actually tended to dominate and be the aggressor once a rally was under way. The Williams sisters were always tough for anyone to finish off though and come out with the win. She certainly did it this time though!

[@Ricky-mo6mv]

@@thomasmiles340 Venus is definitely one of the best (or the best) volleyers/net players in women’s tennis history. Even more than Navratilova who was more error prone at the net. She didn’t have the incredible athleticism, wingspan, or hands that were as quick as Venus either. Her volley was particularly more solid than Navratilova under pressure.

[@vosharap]

Great match from Henin!

[@rgncajun21]

It’s crazy to see how good Justine was playing against women much bigger and taller

[@remik82]

One handed backhand 🔥

[@Paglia444]

This match *still* holds up. Either one could have beaten Raducanu last year.

[@jmiller05]

Was this really 17 years ago? We were living the dream.

[@kp-fk2bt]

Venus' game looks so different compared to 2008 us open

[@HCaulfield115]

Justine had such perfect strokes on both wings

[@shuraowen]

Every time when I watch a game back to that time, I am more convinced women’s tennis has not been improving in the past decade or two.

[@alwaysprepared]

Probably the toughest female competitor ever, particularly for her size!

[@2Clarence47]

Great match for both competitors

[@wendarlemmota609]

Jogaço! Foi a verdadeira final

[@MrCySy]

I wanna see the whole match

[@albertmontoya6413]

Justine is my goat

[@patriktoby9723]

One of the best womens' matches in the last 20 years. Henin at the absolute top of her game.

[@minilroy8774]

Henin's spatial awareness and accuracy was incredible.

[@Zack4ry]

Amazing skills... !

[@AbbaFan-ib4sf]

Justine Henin is the best women’s player I have ever seen. She had it all: finesse, talent and great tactical awareness. What a pity there are not more players in her mould instead of all these ghastly screeching robots. I wouldn’t walk down the road to watch any of today’s players. They should bring back wooden racquets then we might have more emphasis on skill and finesse.

[@willybeama1]

I wouldn’t call her the best but she was definitely a big talent and is solidly a legend. Not many could go toe to toe with Serena and she proved herself with big wins against Serena.

[@johnfkennedy29]

in the window in what Justine played and with superb competition, she was absolutely outstanding 🎉

[@Nomore0965-el5lv]

JUSTINE HENNIN IS A GOAT TENNIS WOMANTHE HISTORY

[@khv6748]

Henin was agrassive and ruthless in 2007 had she played at this level in 2006 in all the 4glandslam finals she reached she would have been the second female tennis player in the open era after steffiegraph to win all the grandslams in a calendar year

[@ahmadsholikin214]

Justine Henin joid with other all former world number one which can beating Williams sisters at one same tournamen...like C.Pliskova ..J.Jankovic..L.Davenport..K.Clijsters 2x..M.Hingis...S.Graf and Arantxa SV

[@mauroc4741]

Justine 😍

[@kalorakalora]

Man i miss the days back when women did the overhead smash

[@AlvinNyipa]

2010 Us Open as well

[@olaraay]

yeah vebus was just hitting in the middle most of the time - unlike vintage rebus who would go for the lines

[@bh5606]

Venus is a class act, unlike her sister and Carrillo.

[@deepakmahajan4978]

U wont see likes of emma winning slams against this field. Because top players acted like one

[@deepakmahajan170]

Henin's best thing was unlike hingis, she had a serve and powerful enough to go along with movement. That's why she became dominant and hingis failed to adapt

[@fundhund62]

Hingis has a better record against the Williams sisters than Justine lol

[@deepakmahajan170]

@@fundhund62 players improve with time. Hingis won no slam this century

[@fundhund62]

@@deepakmahajan170 She hardly played this century 😄. And she held matchpoints in 2002. If injuries hadn't interfered, she would have been a serious contender for many more years.

[@deepakmahajan170]

@@fundhund62 oh pls she stopped winning alams in 1999. Other players matured. Henin got fit. Henin owned serena in slams. Thing is hingis game outdated in modern era after 1999 and she had to retire when serena handed her a&&& many times. She came back in 2006. Good enough for last eight but not to won. Henin competed in modern game and won

[@deepakmahajan170]

​@@fundhund62she played full 2000 and ,2001 and was culturing non slams. She wasn't good enough to win

[@santoshpatil8988]

It would be different story if williams sisters face henin from 2004 to 2007

[@maximilianasmr7202]

They barely played any tennis back then lol Serena went fashion school with Venus, even had some acting gigs and was injured mostly. Not sure the match up would be even during that time

[@secrets.295]

Henin wasnt even top notch from 2004-2005. She did well during clay court 2005, and did well in early 2004, then flopped the rest of the year. The Williams Sisters also had terrible results except for some win here and there. If they were meeting each other during this period wouldnt have been that much special

[@santoshpatil8988]

I dont think so

[@secrets.295]

@@santoshpatil8988 It is so

[@pomerlain8924]

@@secrets.295 Henin didn't flop in 2004. She started the year off 22-1 before she got sick with the CMV prior to the start of the clay season. And though she managed to win the gold medal at the Olympics, it took her until the clay season of 2005 to get finally get close to her top form again.

[@paskferr]

Would have loved to see 2001 Venus against this Henin, who knows what the outcome would have been

[@dayzour123]

Venus williams would have won that venus went for it this venus was to unsure

[@sketcher589]

Venus at Wimbledon 2007 was totally different and dangerous compared to this one

[@willybeama1]

Her game definitely morphed over time. Her speed was ridiculous early on. Fast with power and a big serve plus a net rusher. Great game style!

[@AdyHh-up9ez]

Henin wasn't in her peak either in 2001.

[@markstewart6104]

The Williams sisters with their ridiculous screaming gamesmanship. Just like Sharapova. They should have been fined.

[@angelflorespacheco8992]

Justine was better

[@你不管-r9k]

the proportion of Justine outfit , what a disaster !

[@ΚωνσταντινοςΚαραλης-ω8ψ]

Graf was trash compared with henin.

[@bryanmartin5901]

Cheaters never win…(Wimbledon).

[@guillermopartida2518]

She won everything except Wimbledon, wta finals, Olypics games and 3 differents grand slam. Only Steffi and Serena have won everything, Sharapova didn’t won golf medal in Olympics games and Davenport didn’t won RG

[@bryanmartin5901]

@@guillermopartida2518 amen lol but Henin a cheater

[@guillermopartida2518]

@@bryanmartin5901 and Serena is a cheater too, and she won 23 grand slams includind Wimbledon, what’s the matter?

[@johnfkennedy29]

Justine absolutely not a cheater, stop this nonsense

[@maskellmaolseachlainn6347]

Both won 7 grand slams. Only one was a cheat.

[@orbitalwarrior]

It's almost been 20 years, get over it. You don't build a career like Justine's on cheating.

[@alazjaw.8968]

@@orbitalwarrioryes you can

[@khv6748]

​@@alazjaw.8968u can like serena built career on cheating

[@alazjaw.8968]

@@khv6748 wrong you mean justine

[@fundhund62]

Venus and Serena were far closer to being cheats with their constant bullying and intimidation tactics.