JUSTINE HENIN is quitting professional tennis, according to a Belgian newspaper.

The 25-year-old Henin, the top-ranked player in the world, will make the announcement soon, Het Nieuwsblad reported Tuesday.

Henin has been battling fatigue and not playing well.

This year she lost to Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Italy’s Francesca Schiavone. Last week she was ousted from the Berlin Open in the third round and this week she pulled out of the Italian Open.

Henin’s retirement will come a year after Belgium’s Kim Clijsters said farewell to competitive tennis. Clijsters has since married and become a mother.

Henin’s rise to the top began in the mid-1990s.

Despite a troubled personal life — her mother died in 1995, her father did not speak to her for eight years and she divorced in 2007 — Henin won an Olympic gold medal and all major tournaments except Wimbledon.

Her best year was 2007, when she earned more than US$5 million winning 63 of her 67 matches in 10 tournaments, including two grand slam events.

(SD-Agencies)