Justine Henin reached the final in her comeback tournament with a
6-3, 6-2 win over 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic at the
Brisbane International on Friday.
Henin, playing her first tour event since she retired while
holding the No. 1 ranking in May 2008, struggled with her first
serve but otherwise was too consistent for 22-year-old Ivanovic.
The seven-time major winner announced her comeback last
September, soon after fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters won the U.S.
Open three tournaments into a return from retirement.
The Belgian pair could meet in the final here, with Clijsters
to face German Andrea Petkovic in Friday's later semifinal.
Henin needed 2 hours, 21 minutes and six match points before
fending off seventh-seeded Melinda Czink in a tough, three-set
quarterfinal on Thursday night. She was happier with her
performance against third-seeded Ivanovic, saying she'd already
achieved beyond her expectations as a wild card entrant in the
first of her Australian Open tuneup events.
"It's more than I what I could have expected," the
27-year-old Belgian said. "Now I'm in the final - it's more than a
dream for me."
Against Ivanovic, who was only playing her fourth match since
September, Henin only got 45 percent of her first serves into play
but saved herself with her strong ground strokes and speed around
the court.
"I took the opportunities - that's a better feeling than
yesterday, for sure," said Henin, who hit 18 winners and only made
eight unforced errors.
Ivanovic, who has slipped from No. 1 to No. 21 and failed to
win a tournament in 2009, made 19 unforced errors and four telling
double-faults.
Clijsters reached the semis with a topsy turvy 6-1, 0-6, 6-4
win over No. 41-ranked Lucie Safarova, while Petkovic had an upset
win over fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova in straight sets to
advance to her third tour semifinal.
In the men's quarterfinals, fourth-seeded Tomas Berdych was
playing Thomas Bellucci of Brazil and top-seeded Andy Roddick had a
night match Friday against Richard Gasquet of France.
Defending champion Radek Stepanek is already into the semis
after beating American Wayne Odesnik 7-6 (2), 6-1 on Thursday.
He'll play third-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils, who rallied to beat
James Blake 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 after the veteran American saved three
match points.
