Justine Henin retires from tennis again

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Justine Henin’s tennis comeback has come to an end.

The former No. 1 player and seven-time Grand Slam winner from Belgium announced Wednesday that she is retiring from the sport for a second time, this time because of a lingering right elbow injury that initially occurred at Wimbledon last year.

“I have undergone several tests the past few days, confirming that my elbow has sustained a lot more damage during my adventure in Australia,” Henin said on her website.

Five days earlier Henin lost in the third round of the Australian Open, 6-4, 7-6 (8), to Svetlana Kuznetsova.

“The past few weeks, there was a little bit more pain every day, but I thought my willpower would prevail. Today, the tests and my doctors are adamant,” said Henin, who was ranked No. 1 when she first retired in 2008. She returned 20 months later and reached the Australian Open final last year.

Henin, currently ranked No. 13, and Kim Clijsters were scheduled to face the U.S. in a Fed Cup match next week.

“It is clear now that I have to accept that my career ends for good,” Henin said. “Even if it is hard, very hard, at a time when I came back with enormous fighting spirit.”

-- Chuck Schilken

The Associated Press contributed to this report.