ROGERS CUP: Late night with Justine Henin-Hardenne! - 網球

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ROGERS CUP: Late night with Justine Henin-Hardenne!
20/08/2005:

It was survival of the fittest on Friday at the Rogers Cup Toronto. Not only
were players competing against each other, body ailments; the stormy weather
with thunder, lightening, and rain taunted them. Justine's match was delayed
an hour due to suspended play during the day session, but in typical style
she held firm, and defeated young up-coming big serving starlet Nicole
Vaidisova 7-5 7-6(7-4) in the late show.


Justine's second night match of the year started out very sweetly in her
second career meeting with the Czech Republic's young tennis star on the rise
Nicole Vaidisova. The last match they play was hardcourt, which Justine won
was at the US Open last year. It looked to be more of the same naive shell
shocked Vaidisova when the score ran off at 4-0, but a few bad line calls
against Justine, the weather, the delay, various things seemed to unsettle
her, and the lead diminshed to 5-2. Rattled, and begging double faults did
Justine no favours. Vaidisova was very much into the match, but Justine
played harder with purpose, and able to clear her head. She closed the first
set 7-5 in 57 minutes.

The second sets started with yet, another rain delay at 0-30 on the Vaidisova
opening service game. They resumed play again at about 10:40pm. The match
featured very big serves, aces, power, double faults a plenty by Justine, and
wild unforced errors by Vaidisova; one which barely missed hitting a ball
boy. As the second set progressed Justine improved her service percentage,
and only behind by one game. The errors increased for the young Czech, and
there were breakpoints thoughout the set for both players. Justine reeled
proceedings back to her control for the late night special at 6-6. A quick
tiebreaker minus all the fuss, and agitation of the first set was won by
Justine 7-6(7-4).

Final Score 7-5 7-6(7-4) 1hr 58min at 11:38pm


Justine will next play friend, and number 3 player in the world, Amelie
Mauresmo on Saturday's semi final match. This will be their 7th match
meeting, with the last being a year ago this Sunday August 21 at the Athens
2004 Olympics in Justine's glorious gold medal epic run. They are 3 all on
the head-to-head wins. Match time will be 18:30 hrs Toronto time.


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