Federer pays tribute to retired Henin

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HAMBURG, Germany (AFP) - World number one Roger Federer admitted the tennis community were shocked to hear on Wednesday top-ranked female Justine Henin had announced her retirement with immediate effect.

Federer, who is in the third round of the Hamburg Masters Series here, said he was stunned to hear Henin, who has won seven Grand Slam titles and nearly 20 million dollars in prize-money, had announced her retirement in Belgium.

Henin, 25, withdrew from this week's WTA tournament in Rome, but Federer says her announcement has stunned the tennis world, especially as she has won at Roland Garros, which starts in less than a fortnight, for the last three years.

"I have only just heard, but it is a shock for the tennis world, especially as she is number one at the moment," said 26-year-old Federer.

"I am sure she has her reasons, but it's particularly surprising as it's only a few weeks before Roland Garros, where she has had so much success, and Wimbledon is later this summer, which she has never won.

"It's, of course, a shame she is out of the game."

Having won 41 titles in total on the WTA tour, including 493 wins and just 107 defeats since she made her debut in 1999, Henin is one of the game's great players added Federer.

"She is a special player, she can play on any surface, which is unusual in the women's game," said the Swiss number one.

"And it's remarkable that she has won so many tournaments because she is small and all the newcomers in the womens game are tall, which gives them an advantage.

"I couldn't imagine deciding out of the blue to retire, especially if I was number one. She has had a couple of injuries and there is this history with her ex-husband, it might be all in all too much for her and she might not want to be on the tour anymore."

Henin, who will celebrate her 26th birthday on June 1, headed the official WTA rankings released Monday for the 117th consecutive week, but pulled out of the Rome Masters this week blaming tiredness.

Having crashed out of last week's German Open after her third round defeat to eventual tournament winner Dinara Safina, Henin admitted last week she was lacking confidence just two weeks prior to her French Open defence.

Henin's shock retirement will leave Serbia's Ana Ivanovic as the WTA's top ranked player.