The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Antwerp

World number one Justine Henin on Friday paid tribute to Monica Seles, describing the nine-time Grand Slam title winner as "amazing".

Seles, 34, announced her retirement on Thursday after not having played on the tour since 2003 because of a crippling left foot injury.

"She was an amazing champion and brought a lot to the game. She was a real fighter and what she did was important for the WTA," said Henin.

"What she brought was good for the game. I lot of people will miss her," said the Belgian star who won her last three matches against Seles after losing her first four.

Seles won 53 singles titles and six doubles tournaments in her career and held the top ranking in the world for 178 weeks in the early 1990s.

She won four Australian Opens, three Roland Garros titles as well as the US Open on two occasions.

However, she never won Wimbledon, a gap in a CV also currently shared by Henin who has four French Opens, two US Open crowns as well as one Australian Open win.