Justine Henin presented with ITF Philippe Chatrier Award
Justine Henin has been announced as this year’s winner of the prestigious ITF Philippe Chatrier Award.
The Belgian was presented with the accolade at the 2023 ITF World Champions Awards presented by UNIQLO, which took place at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London on Saturday 8 July.
Henin, an Olympic gold medallist, Billie Jean King Cup winner and seven-time Grand Slam champion, has been awarded the global governing body’s highest honour for services to the sport.
She won gold in Athens in 2004 and was part of the Belgium team that won the women’s World Cup of Tennis (then known as the Fed Cup) in Madrid in 2001.
She won Roland Garros four times (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007), US Open twice (2003, 2007) and Australian Open once (2004). She was twice a Wimbledon runner-up in 2001 and 2006.
Following the conclusion of her illustrious career, Henin established a successful academy in Belgium and a charitable foundation that helps provide sporting opportunities for children with disabilities.
The ITF Philippe Chatrier Award, named after the former ITF President, was introduced in 1996 and is awarded to individuals or organisations that have made significant contributions to the sport of tennis both on and off the court.
Henin was Guest of Honour at the 2023 ITF World Champions Awards. As well as Henin, the ceremony will honour the ITF World Champions of 2022. The list of World Champions is selected by the ITF at the end of every season and recognises players who have made the biggest impact on the tennis world that season. Champions are selected in all disciplines across men’s, women’s, junior and wheelchair competition.
The full list of recipients include singles champions Rafael Nadal (ESP) and Iga Swiatek (POL); doubles champions Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR), and Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova (CZE); wheelchair champions Diede de Groot (NED) and Shingo Kunieda (JPN); quad champion Niels Vink (NED) and junior champions Gilles Arnaud Bailly (BEL) and Lucie Havlickova (CZE).
David Haggerty, ITF President said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce that the ITF Board of Directors has chosen Justine Henin as the winner of this year’s ITF Philippe Chatrier Award. She was one of the best players of her generation on the court, and since retirement has made a significant and ongoing contribution to our sport at all levels. She is richly deserving of this award, and there is no finer setting for her to receive it than the prestigious ITF World Champions Awards at the V&A.”
Justine Henin said: “This is a significant honour and I would like to thank the ITF for selecting and hosting me at the ITF World Champions Awards dinner. I always gave my very best throughout my career and achieved a lot of success. I have worked very hard since retirement to give back to the sport that I love, and I will continue to do so. Tennis is a unique and brilliant sport that provides benefits for people’s physical and mental health. Just like the ITF, I am passionate about growing the game and providing opportunities to play for people from all backgrounds – both at elite and grassroots levels – so to receive this recognition from the ITF means a great deal.”