Justine Henin-Hardenne threw her racquet in the air, collapsed to her knees and shed tears of joy after beating Kim Clijsters to win the Australian Open and her third Grand Slam title today.
The world number one survived a battling display from Clijsters to win 6-3 4-6 6-3 and add the Daphne Akhurst Trophy to the French Open and US Open titles she won last year.
"It was very emotional. I never usually show my emotions too much, but I had to," she said afterwards. "I was feeling just unbelievable. I have three Grand Slams now and I haven't realised it yet."
Henin-Hardenne beat Clijsters comfortably in both those finals but was forced to work harder today after twice allowing her long-time rival back into the game.
Clijsters bravely battled from a break down to force a deciding set and then rallied from 0-4 behind to get back on serve. But a wobbly service game and controversial overrule on break point left Henin-Hardenne the honour of serving for the championship.
"It was an important call because it was a break. I needed one game at that point after losing three games in a row. At 5-3 I was feeling better," she said. "The umpire took her responsibilities. It was a very tough call. I think it was just long."
Clijsters, however, was confident the ball had clipped the baseline and was supported by both the line-judge and television replays. But Henin-Hardenne appealed it was out and the umpire, Sandra de Jenken, agreed. Umpires overrule on the premise of a "clear mistake".
In this case the overrule from de Jenken was the clear mistake. But Clijsters kept her counsel afterwards, aware of a brewing storm. "It's disappointing and a few people have told me that it was in, so that's even more disappointing," she said. "But I'm not going to blame the umpire or anything because everyone makes mistakes. "I don't want to start any trouble or anything."
That it came down to a contentious break of serve was due to Henin-Hardenne's inability to close the game out in the second set or earlier in the third.
Henin-Hardenne snatched the first set with two breaks then took the initiative in the second to move 4-2 ahead, but Clijsters' fist pumps displayed a new determination.
With fiancee Lleyton Hewitt and golfer Greg Norman barking encouragement from the side, Clijsters began to find her rhythm and struck back immediately to level at 4-4 before executing the set-winning break.
Pumped up and anxious to maintain her momentum, Clijsters was first out for the third set, but Henin-Hardenne's renowned toughness prevailed in a thrilling, see-saw encounter. First she broke twice to move four games up but Clijsters threatened a remarkable recovery, breaking back twice as the nerves affected Henin-Hardenne's fluidity.
But at 3-4 Clijsters sent down successive double-faults and Henin-Hardenne regained the advantage courtesy of that contentious line-call. "Could you really see it?" Clijsters asked. But the break back - the fifth of the final set - had been secured and Henin-Hardenne served a magnificent game to seal the championship.