Justin Henin played a magnificent match against Kim Clijsters on her return to the tour in Brisbane two weeks ago and lost. Here, on Rod Laver Arena in the second round of the Australian Open, the former world No 1 played a match strewn with errors, sprinkled with brilliance and packed with drama. And she won.
Henin’s hapless opponent was no less than Elena Dementieva, the fifth seed, who had the misfortune to draw the currently unranked Belgian so early in the tournament. Dementieva, who eventually went down 7-5, 7-6 refused to admit that she had suffered from bad luck.
“I don’t take it as bad luck,” said the quietly spoken and always gracious Russian. “There is never an easy draw. I came here not to pass the second round; I came to be in the final. You have to be ready to face Justine if you want to win the title.”
Admitting that Henin played very well, Dementieva added, “But I felt I gave her the opportunity to play well by not hitting deep enough and not being aggressive enough. It was not my plan but that was what happened. But I think it is great that she is back on the tour. You need to have that kind of player to help you improve your game.”
For Henin, it was an emotional experience as well as a thrilling one. “It was a great match and very emotional for me,” she said. “There was so much intensity on court. It was a special night. Just the kind of situation I needed.”
Henin had doubted herself when she missed a match point by putting a routine forehand into the net. “The nerves weren’t solid enough,” she admitted. “I was almost cramping at that time, too. Then in the tie break I felt, ‘Let’s go for it,’ and the way I finished with a serve and volley was very satisfying.”
Henin felt that her ability to get in and volley at crucial stages of the match held the key to her victory but admitted that her serve needs some work. Problems with her toss had produced four double faults in the first service game of the match but she ironed it out and was soon entertaining the crowd with the sweeping majesty of her one-handed backhand -- one of the most beautiful shots in tennis.
It was no wonder that Henin felt twinges of cramping at the end because both players had covered acres of court and it was pleasing to see that the little Belgian had lost none of her court speed during her 18 months away from the game. Dementieva was no less fleet-footed and seemed to be fighting her way back when she led 3-1 in the tie-break. But in their 11 previous encounters, the Russian had only won twice and that record seemed to be preying on her mind as she hung back, allowing Henin to press forward to claim a memorable victory.
In other women’s play, U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki beat her near namesake, Aleksandra Wozniak, as she usually does, 6-4, 6-2, and Yanina Wyckmayer, who also had a great U.S. Open, looked particularly sharp in beating in-form Italian Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-1.
And in the men’s draw, Andy Murray dealt with blustery conditions out on the Margaret Court Arena well enough to defeat veteran Frenchman Marc Gicquel 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.
