The former world No. 1 is one of the great legends of the WTA, with seven Grand Slam titles and five finals between 2001 and 2010. Henin finished as world No. 1 in 2003, 2006, and 2007. Her most notable tournament was the French Open, where she won four titles in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. She also led the Belgian team to victory in the Fed Cup in 2001.

The award received by Henin is named after former ITF president Philippe Chatrier, who also has the main stadium at Roland Garros named after him. Since 1996, the award has been given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the sport, both on and off the court:

"She was one of the best players of her generation on the court and since retirement has made a significant and ongoing contribution to our sport at all levels,” said David Haggerty, currently ITF president.

Justine Henin is known for her tennis academy and a charitable foundation that provides opportunities in sports for children with disabilities. The award ceremony will take place on Saturday at the ITF World Champions Awards in London.

"I always gave my very best throughout my career and achieved a lot of success," she said.

"I have worked very hard since retirement to give back to the sport that I love, and I will continue to do so. Tennis is a unique and brilliant sport that provides benefits for people's physical and mental health."

Justine Henin retired in 2008 after a career that spanned 9 years, but she made a comeback to the tour in 2010. Her return was promising as she reached the final of the Australian Open (where she lost to world No. 1 Serena Williams). Following her comeback, she also won the WTA 250 Libema Open before ultimately retiring for good in 2011.