The same qualities, however, that have enabled Henin-Hardenne to thrive on
the count - her raw ambition, her business-like demeanour, her fierce
determination - sometimes work to her detriment. Henin-Hardenne herself has
admitted that she isn't the most popular player amongst her peers. And, of
course, it was in the final of AO2006 that she drew criticism for her decision
to retire midway through the second set of the match with a stomach ache,
meaning her opponent, Amelie Mauresmo, was denied the satisfaction of winning
a match point. In the aftermatch of that incident, Henin-Hardenne said her
mistake was in taking an anti-inflammatory for her shoulder that triggered her
stomach pains - not in her decision to abandon the match. Put in the position
again, she says, she would act no differently.
When Henin-Hardenne return to Melbourne, the topic of last year's final is
sure to surface. But, as she went on to reach the finals of three remaining
majors in 2006, making her just the seventh woman in WTA history to play the
last match in each of the four majors(and the first since Martina Hingis in
1997), and ended the year ranked number one. In those four big-ticket matches,
however, she won only one, RG. Henin-Hardenne said after losing the Us open
final, "It was a good year, but a disappointing one at the same time."
This unique figure in women's tennis will have a chance to get back to her
winning ways in Melbourne, and given Henin-Hardenne has made the final in the
last two year in which she's competed here(she missed 2005 through injury),
you'd be foolish to bet against her. (結束)
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