At just 25 years of age, Justine Henin, the world No1, decided to walk away from tennis yesterday, saying that she was “at the end of the road”. In one of the most poignant announcements of the modern era, Henin effectively decided that the ghouls that haunted her for so long are best confronted without a racket in her grasp.

“This is the end of a child's dream,” the Belgian said on becoming the first woman to retire at the top of the rankings. “I have thought a lot about this. I started thinking about it late last year. I leave with my head held high.”

The loss of Henin is immeasurable. Her style was unique, her resolution in the face of physical and spiritual adversity stunning, she possessed a power that baffled so many, given her diminutive stature, and yet this was the glory of the ponytailed waif - how she took on and defeated those who ought to have devoured her. It was very much a case of her art imitating life.

Before she became a professional and at every turn thereafter, Henin fought battles with her family, her conscience and her body. That she was able to hold most of it together and remain the best player in the world for so long - 61 consecutive weeks at the latest stage - represented a heart-warming and defining story of the women's game. There would inevitably come the time when surrender was an option, but this soon?

After all, the French Open, where she enjoyed her greatest fulfilment, winning four of the past five titles, is just around the corner. Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros is being swept for the gladiators to arrive. It was there that Henin came alive, rose to the heights and played a game of such sweet and clinical beauty.

France was her spiritual home, in that the people spoke her language, embraced her frailties and ambitions and adored the way she played. Not everywhere else was there such warmth, which was a pity because others did not appreciate how different and stylish her game was and how resolute she had to be to endure private upheaval on a very public court.

Henin's mother, sister, baby nephew, grandmother, grandfather and great-grandmother died in exceptionally sad circumstances. She was estranged from José, her father, for a decade and neither he nor Justine's brothers or surviving grandparents were invited to her wedding in 2002 to Pierre-Yves Hardenne, a marriage that ended in divorce late last year.

The reconciliation process started when David, a brother who fell into a coma after being injured in a car accident, awoke to find Justine at his bedside. Several members of her family flew to Paris last year to be present at a hugely emotional triumph. She has been reunited with her father.

Henin maintained equilibrium in her career, despite being vulnerable to illness and, because of the daring way she played, to muscular stresses. Her backhand was the most radiant thing, up there with the Steffi Graf forehand and the Pete Sampras serve. In 2007 she had her most successful season, winning ten titles (two in grand-slam events), and was the first female athlete to pass $5million (about £2.5million) in prize-money in a year. But now she has lost the will to compete.

Larry Scott, the chief executive of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, said last night: “It is rare that an athlete leaves at the very top of her game in this day and age, but Justine has always played by her own rules, in the very best sense of those words.”

Net figures

Born Liège, Belgium Age 25

Residence Monte Carlo

Height 5ft 5in (1.67m)

Weight 9st (57kg)

World ranking 1

Grand-slam titles 7 (Australian Open, 2004; French Open, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007; US Open 2003, 2007)

Career singles titles 41

Prize-money $19,461,375