Henin-Hardenne one win from career Grand Slam - 網球

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Henin-Hardenne one win from career Grand SlamAssociated Press
WIMBLEDON, England -- Justine Henin-Hardenne is one victory from a career
Grand Slam.

Justine Henin-Hardenne is trying to become just the 10th woman to win the
career Grand Slam.
However, she'll have to defeat top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo to achieve the feat.

The third-seeded Henin-Hardenne defeated Kim Clijsters 6-4, 7-6 (4) Thursday
to reach the Wimbledon final and close in on the one major title missing from
her collection. Mauresmo defeated Sharapova 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Saturday's championship will be a rematch of this year's Australian Open
final in which Henin-Hardenne quit because of stomach pain while trailing
6-1, 2-0, handing the Frenchwoman her first Grand Slam title.

Henin-Hardenne reached the Wimbledon final in 2001, losing to Venus Williams.
Since then, she has won three French Opens and one U.S. Open and Australian
Open. By taking Wimbledon, she would become only the 10th woman to win all
four Grand Slams.

"I don't have anything to prove to anyone anymore," Henin-Hardenne said. "I
think I proved enough on the tennis court the fighter I am, how much I can
compete. There's always a lot of determination. It's just about myself, and I
hope I can win this title."

Thursday's match was the 20th career tour-level meeting between the players
and seventh at a Grand Sam, but their first at Wimbledon.

The two Belgians, whose relationship has often been frosty, shook hands at
the net. But they did not embrace or kiss on the cheeks as is common in
women's tennis.

Henin-Hardenne evened the series at 10-10, winning for the third time in a
month after victories in the French Open quarters and the Eastbourne
grass-court event.

"For the last few matches that I played, this has been the best one I played
against her," Clijsters said. "I'm happy with that."

Henin-Hardenne has won 17 straight matches, including 13 consecutive Grand
Slam matches without dropping a set. She can become the first player in the
Open era to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back without losing a
set.

"Today I played my best tennis on important points when I had to," she said.
"I'm for sure a better player today [on grass] than I was a few years ago."

Henin-Hardenne beat Clijsters for the fourth straight time at a Grand Slam
tournament in a match that swung in momentum during both sets. She raised her
game when needed and played a more varied, all-court game than Clijsters,
taking 17 of 21 points at the net.

"It was tough, the nerves today," Henin-Hardenne said. "I played very well on
the important points. She broke me but I could always come back."

After being broken to go down 4-3 in the first set, Henin-Hardenne ran off 12
of the next 16 points and three straight games to take the set. She continued
a stretch of 11 straight points and 14 of 15 to go up 1-0 and 15-40 on
Clijsters' serve, but Clijsters bore down and won three consecutive games for
a 3-1 lead.

After another exchange of breaks, Clijsters served for the set at 6-5 but
couldn't convert. Henin-Hardenne had three winners and Clijsters blew a short
forehand on break point.

Henin-Hardenne took the lead at 3-2 in the tiebreaker and went on to close
the 90-minute match with a crosscourt passing shot off her one-handed
backhand.

"I love this kind of situation," Henin-Hardenne said, referring to the
tiebreaker. "I have the feeling that is why I am playing tennis. There is a
lot of pressure in these moments."


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