So, apparently it's official now - Justine Henin plans her return to the tour sometime next season. ( I have mixed feelings about that, to be honest. )
PS. I'm done with mom's memorial, cleaning of the cemetery spot, family gathering, leasing of our old apartment etc., and in celebration of that fact I almost set Monkey boy's room on fire - literally. I threw his t-shirt on his night light because he'd complained that it was too bright, and left it there. A sleeve must've fallen on the bulb, or something - we only caught that something's amiss when smoke was coming out the door. Monkey boy slept peacefully throught the entire experience, and I still get cold sweat just thinking about that absolute horror that I felt when I smelt the smoke.

goes to Flippo Volandri, who already retired against Monaco. Apparently, he came into the match with both knees taped, had them taped some more on the changeover, than gave in.

Poor Misha is going down to Verdasco.

And some Justine quotes which left me very sad and kind of despondent.

Go on, Juju. Find whatever you want to find and return to the court. It's getting kind of dreary out there without you.

... the seeded women in Dubai decided to have a Rotterdam of their own and took a tumble: #1 Henin lost to Schiavone on 2 tiebreaks and #3 Ivanovic - to Dementieva after being a set up. I suppose the sheikhs weren't too thrilled with that development.



Henin is officially in a slump. She was able to win matches and titles playing like a dolt so far this year. She only lost at the AO to eventual champion Sharapova who's been playing on fire. Well , she's no longer able to pull this trick - even a faithful pigeon Schiavone who's been choking like crazy leading by two breaks in the 2nd set, finally managed to put her out. The score should've been 7-6 6-1, and when you lose by that score to Schiavone, there's something very much not right.