Justine Henin Photos: Picture Gallery of Strokes

Justine often meets the ball late on her backhand; this forces her to lean back to make contact, because, especially with her Western grip, she must meet the ball with her arm extended well in front of her shoulder, and leaning back is the only way to create the required space between herself and the ball. With none of her body weight or leg drive moving forward, Henin's arm must generate all of her forward power. Most players' arms could not endure much of this, but due to Justine's extraordinary strength and fitness, she not only endures, she usually hits with excellent power and depth despite meeting the ball too far back. She also produces strong topspin, for which her arm doesn't have to do all the work, as lateness doesn't keep her legs from pushing upward.