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Henin through to Brisbane final

Henin through to Brisbane final

brisbaneinternational.com.au/Image: SMP Images Friday 8 January 2010 30 Comments »

Justine Henin’s comeback has exceeded her own expectations after she caught Ana Ivanovic off guard to claim their semifinal 6-3 6-2 and move into Saturday’s final.

Henin was in no mood to take her time after an exhausting three-set quarterfinal win over Hungarian seventh seed Melinda Czink yesterday.

With her backhand firing, Henin raced to the final in just one hour and six minutes.

Henin will play countrywoman Kim Clijsters in Saturday night’s final after Clijsters disposed of Germany’s Andrea Petkovic 6-4 6-2.

When asked who she’d rather face, Henin said “it would be nice to have a Belgian final in Brisbane”.

“If someone told me before coming here to Australia that I would be in the final of my first tournament, I would sign [for it].”

Today’s match was in stark contrast to Henin’s quarterfinal battle with Hungary’s Melinda Czink, which Henin, 27, said she recovered from surprisingly well.

“Of course I felt much better on the court, it’s the kind of match that I love to play … and it’s the perfect situation for me – I’m in the final of my first tournament back and it’s a great feeling.”

While Henin’s loyal supporters were never in doubt that she would make it, the woman who has achieved so much so soon said the result did come as a surprise.

“It’s not as easy as it seems on the court because 18 months with no competition it’s not that easy … I didn’t know really what to expect but it’s more than what I could expect for being in the final.”

Henin, however, stressed that she will need a few months to get back to where she was before leaving the game for an 18-month hiatus.

Looking ahead to the final Henin described the possibility of a Belgian final as “a perfect situation”.

“If it’s a Belgian final, then that’s what a lot of people hope for and expect for but I don’t see it as a different match from the last few days, even if it’s always special to play against Kim [Clijsters].

“We had great fights in the past but a lot of things happen to her, a lot of things happen to me and I think that it’s going to be a different kind of situation.

“I’ll go on the court, just try to play my tennis [and], of course I want to win this tournament.”

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  • Aeselle

    It’s wonderful to have back Justine and her amazing mental strength in women tennis. All the best in the final.

  • Razor

    Tennis Critic? You know little about the game with these comments. Never compare match to match. Players are always different in matches. 1 day you can be so flat but win then be so up & get thumped. Points wise in this match there was not much in it. Justine was very good today after being so so last night. Simple.

  • Anonymous

    “fortunate”????? are you KIDDING? Did you actually watch the game – because I did and Justine just played too good. The pressure was too much for Ana, simple as that. In tennis, there is more to it than just hitting the ball.

  • Shira

    Yeah, I agree, jayne25. I don’t think it was fortune either that got Justine through. Yes, Ana served poorly, but Justine’s serving wasn’t brilliant either, and when the rallies got going, more often than not, it was Henin who pulled out some spectacular shots, and the scoreline indicated the type of match it was.

  • Anonymous

    Exactly, yesterday Justine made many errors and her serve was bad. Today Justine came out a different player and played great.
    Ana didn’t play that bad, she really had her shots, but Justine improved and learnt from the previous match.

  • Ian

    Reformation should include scrapping faults on serve and playing for 7 points rather than 4 (15,30,40,50). This would bring skill back into the game, rather than serve as fast as you can on the first serve and when that is a fault serve slower and with more finesse.
    Not many things are more frustrating than watching the first serve crash into the net on so many occassions.

  • anon

    ian: or perhaps adopt table tennis scoring? 2 or 3 sets: first to reach 11 points: each serves 5 times and switches sides. i like your idea of no fault serving. the modern game, especially for men: when serve is on: unstoppable. but must go for broke on return to get the break: if serving well, more chances need to be taken on service return: don’t just stand flat footed and get aced.

  • anon

    henin, fortunate to get to the finals over a lackluster ivonovic. will need to play much better to win the tourny.
    first serve needs to go in and no double faults.

  • aileene, singapore

    FANTASTIC!!!! our BRILLIANT Justine is BACK! on on to the Final and to the finish and Australian Open, here she comes! :)

  • Bill

    Thank you Justine. We knew you would work some magic with your lovely hands. Now get some rest for the final.

  • Philippe

    Partially agree with Anon, but don't forget that this is her first tournament since a while and she obviously will improve over the next few weeks; there aren't that many players who cannot achieve such results after such a long break. And yet she is already judged as if she had been active in 2009.

  • Tennis Critic

    What does it say about Ana Ivanovic that she, a former world number one and the currently ranked world number 21, cannot take a set, let alone 6 games, of Justine Henin, when the relatively little known 37-ranked Melinda Czink lost to Henin in 3 sets the last of which went to a tiebreak? Somehow we need to minimise this phenomenon of the one-hit wonder, either through a more fair and less harsh ranking process or a similar alternative.

  • Zebi

    Wonderful to have her back!!!!!

  • Zebi

    Great to have her back!!!

  • eternally

    Brilliant effort by Justine.
    I have been a fan of her since 2001 and was devastated when she retired in 2008. Her second career is a blessing to all her fans.

  • Daniel

    I truly enjoy watching this tiny & fiery woman play tennis. IMO, she's the best female player since Steffi Graf. The tennis world and tennis fans have truly missed her in the last 1½ year. The Federer of Women's Tennis is back! Justine is back! Rejoice!

  • anon

    philip: i really like henin, don't get me wrong. i like ivonivic too: such a pretty girl. i just like to see good quality tennis from whomever, as long as its played in the spirit of good sportsmanship. what a great one hand backhand henin has when its on!

  • anon

    daniel: don't forget the incomparable monica seles. two hands on both sides: the future of great tennis. now, shall we discuss the reformation of the archaic scoring system and perhaps a highter net for the giants? :)

  • Ravi R

    Just brilliant Justine…..Welcome back to the WTA.

  • Shreenidhi

    OMG!! I'm soooooooo happy to see my favorite lady back!!! CONGRATULATIONS JUJU!!!!! I stopped following women's tennis after she left and now that she's back.. I've every reason to follow women's matches..!!! She only reminds me of My all time favorite ROGER!! WELCOME BACK FEMALE FEDERER!!!!!!!

    Juju Vs Kim would be a mouth watering clash indeed!!

    ALLEZ JUJU!!!!!!!

  • rvrg

    This woman, in my opinion, is one of the best female professional tennis players who ever lived. I see her right there with Graf, Navratilova, Seles, etc. To be back after almost two years away from the game playing for a title in her first tournament speaks tons of her quality. Surely she will find rough times along the 2010 season, but I have no doubts that she will add more slams to her resume. I still remember her 2007 season and see no reason why she can't replicate those achievements in 2010. If only she were a couple inches taller she would be just unbeatable. Justine lacks height and streght (some say) but she has got something no other girl has, she has got three hearts!

  • http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/ Tennis Analisyst

    Great game by Henin but she had the benefit of ivanovic serving totaly disastrously and being off her game. I don't think Ana will ever get back in the top ten again unless she works on her consistency and improves her balltoss.

  • http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/ Tennis Analisyst

    Great game by Henin but she had the benefit of ivanovic serving totaly disastrously and being off her game. I don't think Ana will ever get back in the top ten again unless she works on her consistency and improves her balltoss.

  • gooberz

    I am very happy FOR SURE to hear that you win against Ana. 5-0 head-to-head and counting. :)

    Allez Justine! Go win the tournament.

  • Sammmmmmiiiiieeee

    Great Justin!!!!
    Ana ws playing worst tennis!!

  • marialucillevaldez

    yes! so nice to see Henin back again! she is my favorite tennis player. GO GO GO JUJU!!!

  • Shira

    YEAH, JUSTINE =D Welcome back, my favourite female tennis player!!! Man, have I missed watching you play, and it's been distressing watching the current top players dominate tennis with all-out slugging and little elegance and finesse.
    I like Ana, I really do, especially since she's so polite and sportsmanlike, but CONGRATS, Justine =D

  • malloB

    I am a belgian fan of Justine and Kim. I was sad I couldn't watch their australian matches until now. But I just heard that tomorrow's final will be given on belgian TV. As a belgian, it's difficult to have only one favourite! But my preference goes to Justine, though. Come on Juju, welcome back!!!!

  • Ruh

    Justine is my favourite female player of all time bar Billie Jean and stephi, so of course I would like her to win, she is amazing, cone Justine.

  • Ruh

    well done Justine, great win, good luck for the final

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