Amelie Mauresmo arrived at Wimbledon yesterday to inform the world about the state of her health, her nerves and her thoughts on today's meeting with Justine Henin-Hardenne. Many people here express concern for the world number one.

Mauresmo made her Grand Slam breakthrough earlier in the year at the Australian Open, but because of the circumstances of that victory, some say she has not yet truly arrived.

In Melbourne, Kim Clijsters retired in the semi-final with an ankle strain and Henin-Hardenne retired from the final with stomach problems. Mauresmo - benefiting, it seemed, from the misfortunes of others - finally won a title after playing in 31 Grand Slam events. While few begrudged her the title, she has yet to experience the high of out-playing an opponent in a Grand Slam final.

Whether that can happen today could depend on how Mauresmo deals with Mauresmo as much as how she deals with Henin-Hardenne.

The Belgian, who has been to a final here in 2001 and was a semi-finalist in 2002 and 2003, arrives to Centre Court with much less baggage.

She also comes with two French Open titles, from this year and 2005, and wins in the US and Australian Opens.

Victory today would put her in the elevated position of having won Slams on all four surfaces and make her only the 10th woman to have done so.

But as Henin-Hardenne pointed out, the issue is less about tennis per se than about controlling the mind and body.

"When you have the top four players in the semi-finals, it's no question really about tennis, it's a how you deal with the situation. The nerves are important," said Henin-Hardenne.

"Women are more emotional. It's not easy all the time. I've always been very emotional."

Unwilling to be drawn on the manner of her exit from the Australia Open final, for which the 24-year-old received a share of criticism, Henin-Hardenne put on her mind blinkers.

"You know, it was in January. Already we are in July. What happened in Australia is far away. I'm fine with that. I don't want to think too much about that."

For Mauresmo things only really began to turn around late last season, when she captured the Sony Ericsson Championship.

After dropping her first match of the 2006 season to Ana Ivanovic in Sydney, she then became the hottest player on tour, going on a 16-match streak that culminated in titles at the Australian Open, Paris and Antwerp.

From losing in the first round in 1998, 2000 and 2001, she has been a semi-finalist here in the last two years. Now it's very much a question of nerves. And she knows it.

"It's a big factor," said Mauresmo. "I think it plays a lot on the women's game, maybe more than in the men's game. I think all the experience you can get, all the little details that you try and work, are very important."

What she did against a threatening Maria Sharapova in the semi-final indicates at least some emotion has been removed.

To do it again in the final would define Mauresmo as the player who finally overcame her biggest hurdle, herself.