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Henin sinks Czink, into semifinal against Ivanovic
Source: Agencies |
January 7, 2010, Thursday
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JUSTINE Henin needed six match points and almost 2 1/2 hours to finally put away Melinda Czink and reach the semifinals of her comeback tournament.
The former No. 1-ranked Henin beat seventh-seeded Czink 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5) at the Brisbane International today in a quarterfinal lasting 2 hours, 21 minutes.
It's the 27-year-old Belgian's first tournament since May 2008. She next faces another former No. 1, Ana Ivanovic, in the semifinals of the Australian Open tuneup event.
Henin, a seven-time major winner, struggled at times in a match that opened with five straight service breaks.
She dropped a set for the first time in three matches of her comeback, and wasted a break and three match points in the third.
Henin clinched the match on her sixth match point - after earning a 6-3 lead with an ace in the tiebreaker - 24 minutes after her first.
"That's the kind of match that I need - not that long maybe," Henin said. "It's a perfect preparation for me.
"I wouldn't say it's a good feeling, but it's probably something I needed - in the end it was quite tight and nerves had to be solid."
Ivanovic won her only Grand Slam title at the 2008 French Open, not long after Henin retired, ranked No. 1.
The 22-year-old Serb advanced to the semis 6-4, 7-6 (6) over 18-year-old Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
"It's great. To play a fourth match in a row now. Ana coming," Henin said. "It's more than what I could expect coming here. I needed matches, I got them."
Fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia went out in straight sets, losing 6-4, 6-2 to 20-year-old German Andrea Petkovic in another quarterfinal.
Petkovic will play the winner of Thursday's later quarterfinal between US Open champion Kim Clijsters and Lucie Safarova of Czech Republic.
In men's quarterfinals, defending champion Radek Stepanek recovered from a break down in the first set to beat American Wayne Odesnik 7-6 (2), 6-1.
The turning point came when second-seeded Stepanek produced a stunning return at 30-0 down with Odesnik serving for the first set at 6-5.
His semifinal will be against the winner of Thursday's later match between third-seeded Gael Monfils of France and veteran American James Blake.
It was Clijsters' victory at the US Open in September, three tournaments into her comeback from retirement, which prompted fellow Belgian Henin to return to the tour.
Henin's first match back was a 7-5, 7-5 win here Monday over second-seeded Nadia Petrova, then she dropped the opening serve of each set in a 6-4, 6-3 win over No. 132-ranked Sesil Karatantcheva of Kazakhstan.
She is playing on wildcard entries in Brisbane this week and Sydney next week ahead of her Grand Slam return at the Australian Open starting Jan. 18.
Ivanovic didn't win a tournament in 2009 and has dropped down the rankings to 21. But she said she's been working on her game and her focus and is improving with each match.
The 22-year-old Ivanovic credited boyfriend Adam Scott, who has been as high as No. 3 in the world golf rankings and has been supporting her in Brisbane, for helping her learn to keep calm.
"I get very emotional on court and I have highs and lows. That's something I've learned from him, to be more patient and just to be more in control of what's happening out there," she said.
"Still, I get excited. There's a lot of adrenalin when it's close. And when it's second set, tiebreaker. I just let myself go sometimes."
The former No. 1-ranked Henin beat seventh-seeded Czink 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5) at the Brisbane International today in a quarterfinal lasting 2 hours, 21 minutes.
It's the 27-year-old Belgian's first tournament since May 2008. She next faces another former No. 1, Ana Ivanovic, in the semifinals of the Australian Open tuneup event.
Henin, a seven-time major winner, struggled at times in a match that opened with five straight service breaks.
She dropped a set for the first time in three matches of her comeback, and wasted a break and three match points in the third.
Henin clinched the match on her sixth match point - after earning a 6-3 lead with an ace in the tiebreaker - 24 minutes after her first.
"That's the kind of match that I need - not that long maybe," Henin said. "It's a perfect preparation for me.
"I wouldn't say it's a good feeling, but it's probably something I needed - in the end it was quite tight and nerves had to be solid."
Ivanovic won her only Grand Slam title at the 2008 French Open, not long after Henin retired, ranked No. 1.
The 22-year-old Serb advanced to the semis 6-4, 7-6 (6) over 18-year-old Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
"It's great. To play a fourth match in a row now. Ana coming," Henin said. "It's more than what I could expect coming here. I needed matches, I got them."
Fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia went out in straight sets, losing 6-4, 6-2 to 20-year-old German Andrea Petkovic in another quarterfinal.
Petkovic will play the winner of Thursday's later quarterfinal between US Open champion Kim Clijsters and Lucie Safarova of Czech Republic.
In men's quarterfinals, defending champion Radek Stepanek recovered from a break down in the first set to beat American Wayne Odesnik 7-6 (2), 6-1.
The turning point came when second-seeded Stepanek produced a stunning return at 30-0 down with Odesnik serving for the first set at 6-5.
His semifinal will be against the winner of Thursday's later match between third-seeded Gael Monfils of France and veteran American James Blake.
It was Clijsters' victory at the US Open in September, three tournaments into her comeback from retirement, which prompted fellow Belgian Henin to return to the tour.
Henin's first match back was a 7-5, 7-5 win here Monday over second-seeded Nadia Petrova, then she dropped the opening serve of each set in a 6-4, 6-3 win over No. 132-ranked Sesil Karatantcheva of Kazakhstan.
She is playing on wildcard entries in Brisbane this week and Sydney next week ahead of her Grand Slam return at the Australian Open starting Jan. 18.
Ivanovic didn't win a tournament in 2009 and has dropped down the rankings to 21. But she said she's been working on her game and her focus and is improving with each match.
The 22-year-old Ivanovic credited boyfriend Adam Scott, who has been as high as No. 3 in the world golf rankings and has been supporting her in Brisbane, for helping her learn to keep calm.
"I get very emotional on court and I have highs and lows. That's something I've learned from him, to be more patient and just to be more in control of what's happening out there," she said.
"Still, I get excited. There's a lot of adrenalin when it's close. And when it's second set, tiebreaker. I just let myself go sometimes."
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