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Justine Henin rallies past Maria Sharapova in longest season-ending final

By PAUL LOGOTHETIS, Associated Press Writer

November 11, 2007

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Justine Henin won the Sony Ericsson Championships on
Sunday, rallying past Maria Sharapova 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in the longest three-set
final in tournament history.

Henin won on her fifth match point, breaking Sharapova after the Russian hit
a drop shot into the net. The match lasted a record 3 hours, 24 minutes.

Henin's post-Wimbledon unbeaten run is the longest since Steffi Graf won 38
straight after losing in the French Open final in 1989.

"What a way to finish the season," Henin said. "It's a dream today what
happened."

Henin, who won her 25th straight match, saved five of Sharapova's six break
chances in the final set -- and 14 of 18 overall -- to become the sixth player
to defend the WTA's season-ending championship.

It was also her 10th title of 2007, making the 25-year-old Belgian the first
player since Martina Hingis in 1997 to record double-digit victories in a
season.

Henin ran into the crowd to hug her coach and family after winning her 38th
career title.

"I just enjoy my tennis so much and I just wish I can keep playing like that
for more years," she said.

Henin became the first player to win the French Open, U.S. Open and
season-ending championships since Graf did it in 1996.

The $1 million prize money also means Henin surpassed Kim Clijsters to set a
season-earnings mark of $5,367,086, the first woman to pass $5 million.

Sharapova came into the tournament after a nearly two-month layoff because of
a shoulder injury.

"It's an honor to play against her," said Sharapova, who the championship on
her debut in 2004. "I hope we can play a few more times. I hope I can get my
revenge a few more times."

Sharapova won the first set after pouncing on Henin's awkward serve to break
in the 12th game on her eighth set point. Henin hit four of her eight
double-faults in the game.

"I was feeling frustrated at that time," Henin said.

Though Henin missed some easy points with shanks or mishits, she closed out
the second set after converting double-break chance in the 10th game when
Sharapova hit her backhand wide.

Sharapova, playing from the baseline most of the match, rallied in the final
set after Henin broke in the third.

The sixth-ranked Russian -- who used a nasal decongestant before the game --
caught Henin on the run with a two-handed crosscourt pass before Henin pushed
it long for a break of serve for 3-3.

Sharapova did not win another game.

"It's been a pretty rough year for me with all of these injuries, one after
another," Sharapova said.

Henin, who beat fourth-ranked Ana Ivanovic in the semifinals, improved to 21-1
against top 10 players this year.

In the previous longest final in 2005, Amelie Mauresmo defeated Mary Pierce
5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in 3:06.

The two-year stint in Madrid ends, and of the season-ending tournament moves
to Doha, Qatar, through 2010.

Updated on Sunday, Nov 11, 2007 2:59 pm, EST

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