<table> </table> Less than two weeks before beginning defense of her three consecutive French Open championships, <strong>Justine Henin </strong>retired.</p><p>No farewell tour, just farewell as she found it harder and harder to motivate herself to raise her game against bigger and stronger opponents. Henin stands just 5 feet 5 3/4 and weighs just 126 pounds.</p><p>&#8220;I decided to stop fooling myself and accept it,&#8221; said Henin, who has won seven Grand Slam titles &#8212; four French Opens, two U.S. Opens and an Australian Open.</p><p>&#8220;I always based everything on this motivation &#8212; this flame &#8212; that was in me,&#8221; Henin said. &#8220;Once I lost that, I lost many things.&#8221;</p><p>Henin&#8217;s announcement comes just one day after <strong>Annika Sorenstam </strong>announced her retirement from golf at the end of this year. Except for a seven-week period last year, Henin has been ranked No. 1 in the world since Nov. 13, 2006.</p><p>&#8220;I had reached my limits, and I feel strong and relieved that I could take this decision,&#8221; she said in her announcement in Limelette, Belgium. &#8220;There are plenty of things that I can do. There are no regrets. I did everything I had to do in tennis.&#8221;