Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Might as well add my own since everyone else has made one, and since their careers are virtually a wash anyway. I would say Henin easily on clay (duh), Venus easily on grass (duh, although IMO a bit closer than clay), and almost a toss up on hard courts or indoors.

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Jesustine 7-6 6-4

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

It's curious becuase that's a match that never happened on wta. Most of their matches were when Venus was a dominant force and Henin was simply a rising star. And the last one was Henin in one of her best moments but Venus far from her peak.

That would be a interesting match for sure, not only for the quality of the players but for the contrast of styles too

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Peak Venus except clay. Peak Henin on hardcourts I believe to be 2007 and Venus took her to a tight 2 setter. Thus making me believe that Peaknus would beat her in however many sets needed on hard.

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

This WTA era will sadly be most remembered for epic number of injuries, burnouts, inconsistencies, and retirements, and many what could have been rivalries. Serena vs Henin never really met peak to peak either, nor Hingis vs Serena, nor Sharapova vs Venus, and a number of others.

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Henin wins on all but grass

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Grass: 6-0 6-2 Venus
Hard: 7-5 5-7 6-4 Venus
Carpet: 6-1 6-4 Venus
Clay: 6-4 3-6 6-4 Henin

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

ROTFL at your grass, clay, and carpet scores. Baby Henin played peak Venus at Wimbledon in 2001 and 2002 and won a set in one of them, and got 5 games in the other. As for clay peak Venus was drubbed by no name Henin 6-4, 6-1 the first time they played on any surface. Indoors Venus winning for the loss of a mere 5 games you think. Henin actualy won back to back WTA Championships, while Venus won her only one ever after Henin had retired. Venus in no way has a tremendous record on indoor or carpet courts. The only accurate one you listed is probably hard courts, it would be something like that I agree.

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Venus on fast hard courts and and certainly grass.

Henin on slow hard courts and certainly clay.

No debate really neeeded for clay and grass, as they are the 2 exceptional players on their surface this generation.

fast hard courts suit Venus' game perfectly and she was practically unstoppable there in her peak years bar Serena in PeakRena form. In 07, Venus played an exceptional match against Justine whilst appearing drained, and made it tight in what i consider to be the best overall match Justine played on a hardcourt against a top player, so i think on a US open like court 00/01 Venus beats 07 Henin with pure aggression.

slow hard courts we never really got this between them. The Aus Open 03 match was peak Venus on rebound ace, again probably her best match on the surface in her career, and Justine was a little short of the grand slam winning mental giant phase. In all likelihood Justine would've bested her more peak for peak on this kind of surface where she could frustrate Venus more and no doubt Venus' technique would've come to let her down as it has so often on a slow ass HC.

the most even question of who is better really. Both are tied for slams, both have opposite games that favour different scenarios and courts. Would absolutely have loved to see peak these two face on a hard court would be such a battle. The only thing that leans me more to Vee as a better peak player than Henin is the eras. Justine's dominance was in a weaker time than Venus' where there were 3 or 4 absolutely class players playing brilliant tennis.

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Excellent assessment, I agree with all you said. Although would add even though I feel peak Henin would most times beat peak Venus at the Australian Open, the Venus of the 2003 Australian Open was exceptional and would win even over peak Henin, but she never quite reproduced that level on the surface again. The only one who could beat her there that year was Serena, and mostly only due to the mental issue, otherwise she was playing better than Serena there that year .

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Venus on fast surfaces

Henin on clay.

On slow HC, their 2003 AO match is as close to a decent indicator as we can get. Venus wasnt in her 2001 form while Henin was still quite young (although that was the year she went on to win 2 slams and have one of the best seasons of her career). Obviously Peak Venus won't win in a similar fashion against Peak Henin, but she will win nonetheless on this surface.

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

I don't think so.

A young Henin played Venus in a Wimbledon final and it was a three set match (yes I know Venus trashed her in the third).

And in clay Henin was the best player of this era by far

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

Venus wins everywhere except clay. Apparently Justine was more intimidated by Venus than Serena.

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

No if Venus had produced that kind of form in Australia any year since then, she'd probably be on about 4 singles titles there :lol:

I actually think Oz Open 03 Venus is the best tournament she'd ever played on a hardcourt bar the matchup/mental issue in the final against lil sis.

To play as well as that on a surface in which before and after she's come nowhere close, makes me think that was actually the last time we saw absolute peak Venus show up. I think she played as well as she ever had in 2001 in that particular tournament if not better. The highglights of the henin match are just:drool: how easy she was making literally everything look. She barely ever looked like missing in that match. Hoping she brings that back for the 10 year anniversary :oh:

Re: Peak Henin vs peak Venus
 

I remember I was cheering for Venus so much to win that Australian Open final vs Serena. I was devastated when she lost. I like Serena too but Venus needed that win so much more IMO. Then again I was happy for Serena completing that historic Serena Slam, which was fitting reward for her insanely high level of play in 2002-2003, especialy as she fought her guts out that tournament to survive numerous times, vs Loit, vs Kim, then vs Venus.