Perfect Paris Fortnight for Henin-Hardenne - 網球

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June 10, 2006

Perfect Paris Fortnight for Henin-Hardenne

PARIS, France - Justine Henin-Hardenne continued to etch her name into the
history books Saturday, capturing her third Roland Garros title with a 64 64
victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova under sunny skies in the championship
singles final.

Henin-Hardenne, the No.5 seed, came out on fire, storming to a 4-1 lead.
Although the No.8-seeded Kuznetsova managed to gain one break back, the
Belgian held on and served out the opening set, firing an angled forehand on
her first set point that drew a long forehand from the Russian.

The deficit seemed to inspire Kuznetsova as she stepped up her aggressive
game and reeled off the first 10 points of the second set. But Henin-Hardenne
matched and exceeded the effort, breaking in the third and fifth games and
holding at love to go up 5-3. Kuznetsova managed to close the gap to 5-4 but
the Belgian built a 40-15 lead in the ultimate game of the match, netting a
forehand on her first match point before Kuznetsova hit a forehand return
long to end the one-hour, 36-minute encounter.

"Today the difference was the important points," said the Belgian, who
converted 60% of her break point opportunities throughout the tournament. "I
probably didn't play my best tennis during the match, but at very important
games, that's what I did. That's been the same during all seven matches.

"I'm playing tennis because of these very close situations. Today, this
tightness, when you're nervous, on the crucial points, on break points,
that's what I love."

"I kept the right tactics, I was just missing too much," said Kuznetsova, who
hit 38 unforced errors in the match. "I build my game on hitting hard and
moving my opponent around. Sometimes you make errors. I lost my chances. I
had plenty of them in the match. If you don't take the chances, you don't win
the matches."

Henin-Hardenne became the first woman since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 12 years
ago to capture the title without the loss of a set, although this almost
didn't happen after she faced triple set point during the second set of her
second round match against Anastasiya Yakimova. Other than that she cruised
through six rounds, including a 63 62 rout of Kim Clijsters in the
semifinals. The Belgian is the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1996 to
successfully defend at Roland Garros, and the sixth in the Open Era to win it
three or more times (after Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Graf, Monica Seles
and Sanchez-Vicario).

"Now my results are starting to be more numerous, and it's wonderful because
it's been more than 20 years I've been giving everything. I started playing
when I was five years old. Since then, my life depended on and was guided by
tennis, so it's important to know the moments of happiness. It gives you
strength.

"It's amazing to be with all these names. Some players did things that cannot
be repeated. They were great champions. I wouldn't dream of comparing myself
to them. It's incredible winning so many Grand Slams. It can inspire your
respect."

Kuznetsova's run was one of several achievements this season that exemplify
her recent return to form, after a dismal 2005 that saw her relinquish her
2004 US Open title and Top 5 ranking. The Russian captured the prestigious
Tier I title in Miami two months ago and has notched three Top 5 wins,
including two over Amelie Mauresmo. After easier wins during the first week,
in the second week of Roland Garros she gutted out tight wins over Francesca
Schiavone, Dinara Safina and Nicole Vaidisova en route to her second major
singles final.

"I've been fighting a lot in this tournament," Kuznetsova lamented. "I was
down so many times, the last three matches, which I won. I made it through.
It was different with Miami, I was playing different there game because my
game suits a little bit more to hard court. But still it was good here and I
was fighting a lot. So I keep it in mind and try to improve and as always do
less unforced errors."

Among other notable performances this past fortnight were major breakthroughs
for several young stars, a pair of former No.1s making returns to prominence
and disappointing endings to the clay season for two pre-tournament favorites.

Vaidisova spearheaded the youth movement, reaching a major semifinal for the
first time. Other emerging stars making waves were Anna-Lena Groenefeld and
Safina, who both reached Grand Slam quarterfinals for the first time, and
Shahar Peer, who notched her first Top 10 win over Elena Dementieva en route
to her first Grand Slam fourth round appearance.

Martina Hingis and Venus Williams, who have both been working their way into
match toughness in recent months, both worked their way into the second week
with some impressive play. Hingis cruised through her early rounds then
gutted out a three set win over Peer before falling to Clijsters; and
Williams overcame spotty play early on, then beat Patty Schnyder before
falling to Vaidisova.

Two of the biggest threats for the title prior to the tournament, Mauresmo
and Nadia Petrova, both crashed out far earlier than expected. Mauresmo,
playing her first major as the world's No.1, fell to Vaidisova in the fourth
round, while Petrova, coming into a major with a Top 3 ranking for the first
time, was sent home in her opening match by unseeded Japanese player Akiko
Morigami.

Katarina Srebotnik won her third career Grand Slam mixed doubles title and
20th overall Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title, partnering with Nenad Zimonjic
(read more here). On Sunday, Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur will face
Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama for the women's doubles title.

The story of the tournament, however, was the continued domination of the
terre battue for Henin-Hardenne, who, in her post-match press conference,
tried to put this fortnight into perspective with her previous Paris triumphs.

"The first one was very emotional because it was the first Grand Slam I won.
And then it was the confirmation last year. And then this year, it's, I don't
know, right now I cannot find the words to describe it. Right now I still
can't realize I won the French Open three times."


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