IF THE Australian Open organisers could have handpicked their two women’s finalists, it is hard to think that they would have selected anyone other than the two players who will come face to face in tomorrow’s title showdown.
Serena Williams, the world number one and defending champion, takes on the former world number one Justine Henin in a mouth-watering contest that will not only decide the winner of the year’s first grand slam but could be a prelude to clashes to come over the next year.
If it were not for the emotional victory by Kim Clijsters at the US Open last September, in just her third event back after a two-year absence in which she had her first child, the way Henin has played on her return after 20 months away would be considered little short of miraculous.
As it is, her run to the final has been more a reminder of just how good she was before she retired when world number one in May 2008. Watching Henin demolish Zheng Jie of China for the loss of one game yesterday, it was almost as if she had never been away. Considering that she is playing only her second tournament back and does not even have an official ranking yet, her efforts over the past two weeks have been stunning.
A bruising win over Elena Dementieva in round two convinced many that she was a contender, two three-set victories tested her fitness and now she is coming into her own.
Emulating Clijsters’s triumph on her comeback would be an incredible achievement for Henin, but to complete the job she has to overcome the world’s top-ranked player, who has won here four times and who, despite heavy strapping on her right thigh, has battled her way into another final.
It’s the kind of challenge that inspired Henin to return and one from which she is unlikely to shrink.
“It’s my first grand slam since I’m back and we’re already there, so it’s more than a dream,” Henin said. “I’m so happy to play against her because if I want to win another grand slam, I’ll have to beat the best player of the world. And that’s just the biggest challenge I could get. I have to be honest, I didn’t really expect that. But now that it’s a reality, I will try to be at my best.”
If Williams plays the way she did in her 7-6, 7-6 victory against Li Na of China yesterday, Henin may not need to play her best to take the title.
The American was ragged at times and only her serve, probably the best in the women’s game, and her refusal to give in helped her avoid defeat. She will surely play much better in the final, quite simply because she has to. “I think it’s a case of ‘what doesn’t she do well’?” Williams said.
What adds to the occasion is that there is plenty of history between the two. They have met six times in grand slams, with Henin coming out on top in four of them, including a contentious semi-final at the French Open in 2003.
The Belgian was accused by Williams of “lying and fabricating” after she refused to allow the American to replay a first serve even though she had held her hand up to indicate that she was not ready. It soured the relationship between the two, even if there remains a lot of respect between them.
GuardianService
