A tennis legend retires at 25 and Tiger Woods is a decent golfer

I am 24 years old. Justine Henin was in second grade when I was in first grade. I graduated high school just after she did. I probably could beat her in tennis up until I was 5 and she was 6 (maybe). I would still beat her in a bar fight. Justine won 4 straight French Opens and ended up with every grand slam save for the lawns of Wimbledon. She won nearly $20 million in prize money. She repeatedly dismantled the 6 foot plus Sharapova, Ivanovic, and the Williams sisters all in her short 5 foot 6 frame. Her technique was nearly flawless and her one-handed backhand made her game look like art. Except for a 7-week stint by Sharapova, Henin has been #1 in the world since 2006. She is 25 years old.

She is retiring.

Citing general fatigue and a failing will to win, Justine is putting away her racket for good. For those who follow tennis, it is unbelievable that someone at her height actually made it to the professional level. Watching her was almost funny since she was dwarfed by the top players. As someone who spent the better part of my life battling against those much taller and stronger than me, I have to salute her.

Success in individual sports requires a very strong and disciplined mind. Once the winning begins, constant pressure to keep winning emerges. Unlike a team sport, players can't be traded, presidents and owners can't change, and new stadiums can't be built to harness the possible success of a new environment. Also unlike a team sport, the pressure is focused solely on the individual - not dispersed across an organization. Roger Federer mentioned this pressure earlier this year when he lost to the Serbian star Novak Djokovic. I mention this because ESPN contributor, Mark Kreidler's article about Henin's retirement praises Tiger Woods' ability to keep winning year after year. He notes

By the way: If you haven't started appreciating Tiger Woods circa '08, now would be a good time. Through marriage, family, loss of loved ones and, recently, injury, Woods remains an almost implacable winner. Thank goodness he isn't human; it might be intimidating for the other guys.

Now, golf is a sport one can succeed in longer than tennis, but Kreidler's point is spot on. Aside from Michael Jordan, Woods is probably the most impressive competitor in the modern sports era because he keeps winning despite constant concentrated pressure to keep it up.