The Henin–S. Williams rivalry was a tennis rivalry between Justine Henin and Serena Williams,[1]
[2]
who met 14 times between 2001 and 2010. When Henin was an active player, their rivalry was one of the most heated and competitive on the WTA Tour;[3] their contests were not just athletic in nature, but also personal as Henin made a controversial gesture during their 2003 French Open semifinal encounter.[4][5] Williams leads their head-to-head, 8–6.[6]
Head-to-head
Legend
|
Henin
|
Williams
|
Grand Slam
|
4
|
3
|
WTA Tour Championships
|
0
|
1
|
WTA Tier I
|
2
|
3
|
WTA Tier II
|
0
|
1
|
Total
|
6
|
8
|
Justine Henin–Serena Williams (6–8)
No.
|
Year
|
Tournament
|
Tier
|
Surface
|
Round
|
Winner
|
Score
|
Length
|
Sets
|
Henin
|
Williams
|
1.
|
2001
|
US Open
|
Major
|
Hard
|
Round of 16
|
Williams
|
7–5, 6–0
|
1:16
|
2/3
|
0
|
1
|
2.
|
2001
|
WTA Tour Championships
|
Tour Finals
|
Carpet
|
Quarterfinals
|
Williams
|
6–3, 7–6(7–5)
|
1:22
|
2/3
|
0
|
2
|
3.
|
2002
|
German Open
|
Tier I
|
Clay
|
Final
|
Henin
|
6–2, 1–6, 7–6(7–5)
|
2:17
|
3/3
|
1
|
2
|
4.
|
2002
|
Italian Open
|
Tier I
|
Clay
|
Final
|
Williams
|
7–6(8–6), 6–4
|
1:58
|
2/3
|
1
|
3
|
5.
|
2002
|
Sparkassen Cup
|
Tier II
|
Hard (i)
|
Semifinals
|
Williams
|
6–4, 6–2
|
1:10
|
2/3
|
1
|
4
|
6.
|
2003
|
Charleston Open
|
Tier I
|
Clay
|
Final
|
Henin
|
6–3, 6–4
|
1:06
|
2/3
|
2
|
4
|
7.
|
2003
|
Roland Garros
|
Major
|
Clay
|
Semifinals
|
Henin
|
6–2, 4–6, 7–5
|
2:20
|
3/3
|
3
|
4
|
8.
|
2003
|
Wimbledon
|
Major
|
Grass
|
Semifinals
|
Williams
|
6–3, 6–2
|
1:10
|
2/3
|
3
|
5
|
9.
|
2007
|
Miami Open
|
Tier I
|
Hard
|
Final
|
Williams
|
0–6, 7–5, 6–3
|
2:26
|
3/3
|
3
|
6
|
10.
|
2007
|
Roland Garros
|
Major
|
Clay
|
Quarterfinals
|
Henin
|
6–4, 6–3
|
1:18
|
2/3
|
4
|
6
|
11.
|
2007
|
Wimbledon
|
Major
|
Grass
|
Quarterfinals
|
Henin
|
6–4, 3–6, 6–3
|
1:45
|
3/3
|
5
|
6
|
12.
|
2007
|
US Open
|
Major
|
Hard
|
Quarterfinals
|
Henin
|
7–6(7–3), 6–1
|
1:37
|
2/3
|
6
|
6
|
13.
|
2008
|
Miami Open
|
Tier I
|
Hard
|
Quarterfinals
|
Williams
|
6–2, 6–0
|
1:20
|
2/3
|
6
|
7
|
14.
|
2010
|
Australian Open
|
Major
|
Hard
|
Final
|
Williams
|
6–4, 3–6, 6–2
|
2:07
|
3/3
|
6
|
8
|
Breakdown of the rivalry
- All courts: Williams, 8–6
- Hard courts: Williams, 4–1
- Clay courts: Henin, 4–1
- Grass courts: Equal, 1–1
- Carpet: Williams, 2–0
- Grand Slam matches: Henin, 4–3
- Grand Slam finals: Williams, 1–0
- Year-End Championships matches: Williams, 1–0
- Year-End Championships finals: None
- Fed Cup matches: None
- Matches won after saving match points: Williams, 1–0
- All finals: Williams, 3–2
- Sets Won: Williams, 19–14
- Games Won: Williams, 164–146
Grand Slam tournaments
Key
W
|
F
|
SF
|
QF
|
#R
|
RR |
Q#
|
P#
|
DNQ
|
A
|
Z#
|
PO
|
G
|
S
|
B
|
NMS
|
NTI
|
P
|
NH
|
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (P#) preliminary round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (Z#) Davis/Fed Cup Zonal Group (with number indication) or (PO) play-off; (G) gold, (S) silver or (B) bronze Olympic/Paralympic medal; (NMS) not a Masters tournament; (NTI) not a Tier I tournament; (P) postponed; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
- Bold = players met during this tournament
By Year
1998–2003
Player |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
Justine Henin
|
|
A
|
2R
|
A
|
1R
|
2R
|
A
|
1R
|
4R
|
4R
|
SF
|
F
|
4R
|
QF
|
1R
|
SF
|
4R
|
SF
|
W
|
SF
|
W
|
Serena Williams
|
2R
|
4R
|
3R
|
3R
|
3R
|
3R
|
A
|
W
|
4R
|
A
|
SF
|
QF
|
QF
|
QF
|
QF
|
F
|
A
|
W
|
W
|
W
|
W
|
SF
|
W
|
A
|
2004–2009
Player |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
Justine Henin
|
W
|
2R
|
A
|
4R
|
A
|
W
|
1R
|
4R
|
F
|
W
|
F
|
F
|
A
|
W
|
SF
|
W
|
QF
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
Serena Williams
|
A
|
QF
|
F
|
QF
|
W
|
A
|
3R
|
4R
|
3R
|
A
|
A
|
3R
|
W
|
QF
|
QF
|
QF
|
QF
|
3R
|
F
|
W
|
W
|
QF
|
W
|
SF
|
2010–2015
Player |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
AUS
|
FRA
|
WIM
|
USA
|
Justine Henin
|
F
|
4R
|
4R
|
A
|
3R
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
Serena Williams
|
W
|
QF
|
W
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
4R
|
F
|
4R
|
1R
|
W
|
W
|
QF
|
W
|
4R
|
W
|
4R
|
2R
|
3R
|
W
|
W
|
W
|
W
|
SF
|
See also
References
|
---|
98 WTA Titles: 73 singles, 23 doubles & 2 mixed doubles |
Entourage |
- Alexandra Stevenson (title-winning doubles partner)
- Title-winning/cup-winning mixed doubles partners
|
|
---|
Career | |
---|
Rivalries | |
---|
Seasons | |
---|
Notable matches | |
---|
Year-end No.1 | |
---|
Grand Slam titles | Australian Open | |
---|
French Open | |
---|
Wimbledon | |
---|
US Open | |
---|
|
---|
ITF titles | |
---|
WTA Tour titles | WTA Finals | |
---|
WTA 1000 & analogues | Qatar ↔ Dubai Open | |
---|
| |
---|
| |
---|
Charleston & Berlin Open → | |
---|
Italian Open | |
---|
| |
---|
San Diego → Cincinnati Open | |
---|
Tokyo → Wuhan Open | |
---|
Zurich & Moscow Open→ → | |
---|
|
---|
WTA 500 | |
---|
WTA 250 | |
---|
|
---|
National representation | Olympics | |
---|
BJK Cup | |
---|
Hopman Cup | |
---|
|
---|
|
|
---|
45 WTA Tour-Level Titles: 43 SGL & 2 DBL |
Entourage |
- Pierre-Yves Hardenne (former boyfriend & assistant, 1998—2006; fiancé: 2001—2002; husband: 2002—2006)
- Title-winning doubles partners
|
---|
Career | |
---|
Rivalries | |
---|
Year-end No.1 | |
---|
Grand Slam titles | Australian Open | |
---|
French Open | |
---|
Wimbledon | |
---|
US Open | |
---|
|
---|
WTA Tour titles | WTA Finals | |
---|
WTA 1000 & analogues | Dubai Open | |
---|
| |
---|
| |
---|
Charleston & Berlin Open → | |
---|
Italian Open | |
---|
| |
---|
San Diego → Cincinnati Open | |
---|
Japan Open→ | |
---|
Zurich & Moscow Open→ → | |
---|
|
---|
WTA 500 | |
---|
WTA 250 | |
---|
|
---|
Other professional titles 7 singles & 2 doubles | ITF Tour |
- SGL
- 1997 Le Touquet
- 1997 Koksijde
- 1997 Gelos
- 1998 Grenelefe
- 1998 Ramat Hasharon
- 1998 Reims
- 2000 Liège
|
---|
|
---|
National representation | |
---|
|