Melbourne, Jan 27 : Belgian tennis ace Justine Henin has retired for the second time because of a right elbow injury that she aggravated at the Australian Open.

Henin had first quit the sport in 2008 when she was ranked No. 1 in the world.

She had a change of heart and returned to the game at the beginning of the 2010 season, reaching the final at the Australian Open.

However, the rest of her comeback season was not as reassuring, and at Wimbledon she fractured a ligament in her right elbow in her fourth-round loss to Kim Clijsters.

The 28-year-old said that the same injury has forced her to call time on her playing days for good.

She also said that she had undergone multiple medical examinations since her third-round loss in the Australian Open to Svetlana Kuznetsova.

“Today, the [medical] examinations are clear and the doctors are agreed that my elbow is too damaged for me to be able continuing with my passion and my job at a high level,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Henin, as saying.

“After due reflection and following doctors’ advice the time has come to face up to the evidence and accept that this is the definitive end of my career. But it’s hard, very hard, as I came back with such desire.”

“This time it’s for good - I am turning an incredible page of my life,” she added.

Henin further admitted that she was “going through some difficult moments” having realized ever since the Wimbledon that her return to action was likely to be short-lived.

“I did everything I could to get over the injury - (but) I was rarely spared from pain. I have suffered more and more every day these past weeks,” Henin said.

“Of course I am in shock - I am sad. I had hoped for a different kind of return and a different ending,” she added.

Henin had won seven Grand Slam singles titles before her first retirement. (ANI)