PARIS: Justine Henin-Hardenne's maiden grand slam success at the French Open on Saturday was the result of sublime claycourt tennis and the way she has transformed her once-unhappy private life.

"Tennis is not everything because I have gone through some very difficult things in my life," said the 21-year-old, who became Belgium's first grand slam champion with her 6-0, 6-4 win over compatriot Kim Clijsters.

"Tennis is my passion first, but tennis is my job too. I have many things outside the court that are very, very important."

Henin-Hardenne, who got married to husband Pierre-Yves in November, has known plenty of heartache. She dedicated her victory to her deceased mother Francoise. She is estranged from her father Jose.

Her grandfather died in July 2001 - on the same day she was contesting the Wimbledon final with Venus Williams - and the diminutive Belgian said those events had helped her to bring a new perspective to her life.

"I have a family, I have friends that I love," she said.

"Everybody is healthy, that is the most important thing.

"When I was in the final of Wimbledon it was a great moment, but I had just lost my grandfather.

"Today I just want to enjoy it because everything is fine around me. It's a great day, but not only because I won the French Open.

"When I woke up with my husband he said 'it's not everything. If you win or lose it doesn't matter, we are very proud of you'.

"It is very important to me that I know that the people around me love me and they are here to support me."

Hard choices

Opponent Clijsters said she had noticed a big difference in Henin-Hardenne since her marriage, saying: "Mentally she is tougher, she looks a lot happier on and off the court."

But despite her joy on Saturday, Henin-Hardenne said it did not change the situation with her father.

"Not at all, I don't have anything to say about that," she said without emotion.

"I have taken the right decisions. I have the people I want around me. In life you have to make choices even if they are hard.

"You don't live in the past. I have just tried to build something very solid and that's what I have done with nice people around me. That's my personal choice and I think everybody has to accept that."

Henin gobsmacked

Henin-Hardenne was stuck for words as she digested her success in the final.

"It is very hard to find the words. It's a very special emotion. I can't tell you now. I don't realize yet what I have done," she said.

"It was just amazing."

Sitting in the media interview room at Roland Garros next to her gleaming winner's trophy, Henin-Hardenne added: "I wasn't afraid to lose. I said 'if you want to win this tournament you have to play you best tennis' and I did.

"But I didn't even know where the ball was on match point.

"It's amazing. It was a dream when I was younger, now it's reality."

Clear head

Henin-Hardenne said she had struggled to sleep on Friday night due to nerves.

"I was really nervous," she said. "I didn't sleep very well last night. But I came on the court very clear in my head what I had to do. I was very aggressive at the start of the match.

"I was nervous but I was bit more solid than Kim. But she is strong and we will see her again in the finals of other grand slams."

Henin-Hardenne beat powerful American top seed Serena Williams in a controversial semi-final on Thursday and she said: "It's good to show power is not everything, you can play with other things.

"I am not so tall, I am not so strong but I can still win."

Agencies via Xinhua