Henin Overcomes Hantuchova - 網球

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Henin Overcomes Hantuchova
Monday, 3 July, 2006

Justine Henin-Hardenne required just over an hour to beat Daniela Hantuchova
and progress into the last eight in what the 6-3, 6-1 scoreline may suggest
was a comfortable manner, but never was thanks to her inconsistent serving.

On paper the French Open champion, Wimbledon runner-up in 2001 and twice a
semi-finalist since then, should not have been troubled by the 15th seed from
Slovakia, but troubled she was.

The first set was a fluctuating affair. Neither player could establish
themselves long enough to dominate the game. First it was Henin-Hardenne, who
took an early 4-1 lead but as Hantuchova warmed up her long limbs, she
regained a break to instil a certain amount of uncertainty into the mind of
the third seed.

The level of inconsistency in the serving was highlighted by the number of
break points - there were 21 contested in all, the Slovak converting three
and the Belgian seven.

For Henin-Hardenne the victory took her current run of wins to 15, so she
will have been satisfied with the outcome, however scrappy it might have
been. There was no doubt that she always seemed to have an edge, however
slim, in all the departments as confirmed by the post match statistics.

She struck, for instance, a total of 17 winners as opposed to Hantuchova’s
12 and made three fewer unforced errors than the Slovak’s 16.

But she will need to tighten up that serve if she is not to face an awkward
afternoon after battle-tough qualifier Severine Bremond, who will she will
face in tomorrow's quarter-final.

Written by Henry Wancke



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