Henin: I couldn't lose

"I wanted this victory so much. You cannot imagine how strong I felt, even if I was a little bit nervous at the beginning of the match,"

Henin said after coming back from dropping the opening break to crush Ana Ivanovic 6-1 6-2.

"I couldn't lose this one. I really wanted to win another title here in Paris. And it's a lot of emotions for me. And I'm very, very happy and proud about it."

With the win Henin became only the second woman since the post-1968 Open era to win three successive championships on the red clay of Philippe Chatrier's centre court, joining Monica Seles who achieved the feat in 1992,

The Belgian, who was at the stadium for Seles' win in the 1992 final, has not lost a set at Roland Garros in 17 consecutive matches.

"I still don't realize what's happening now," she said. "When I was a little girl and dreaming of coming here and playing the tournament and winning it, then I did it four times, and three times in a row, and two times without losing a set."

Henin has had an emotional roller-coaster of a year, skipping the Australian Open in January because of divorce proceedings with her then husband and recently reuniting with her estranged father.

"I've been a little bit surprised, because it's been hard for me, everything I lived in the last few months, ups and downs, good things, bad things," said a philosophical Henin.

"Then I just realised that it's life. And life is ups and downs and you have to accept it. And you just have to deal with it."

She also credited longtime coach Carlos Rodriguez for his support in helping her to achieve the rare hat-trick of wins.

"He is a big part. You know, it's 11 years, and that's pretty unique.

Not a lot of people, just a few people can do it," Henin said of her relationship with Rodriguez, who has coached her since she was 14-years-old.

"It's tough. You need a lot of respect, you need to be strong, and you need to love each other a lot, also. And I think we have everything in our relationship."

"We got closer and closer in the last few months, even if Carlos wants to keep some distance. But I think he starts to realise that we - it's much more than a professional relationship. And he respects me a lot as a player, but much more important, as a person."

Of the notes of advice that Rodriguez was passing to Henin at various stages throughout the final, the 25-year-old refused to reveal the contents of the one she received after confirming serve on her first of three match points.

"That one I'm going to keep it for me," Henin said laughing. "Sorry.

I'm sure that's the one that you want to know, but it's just Carlos and me."

"I had some troubles in the first [set], with my concentration and everything, and Carlos wanted me to be very, very professional on every point, and just remind me a few things at that time, pretty tight times during the match."

"But the last one, no. I mean, the thing I can say is that he's proud of me, for sure."

Henin said that she will return next year with the goal of winning her fourth straight and fifth-career French Open title, and that Saturday's victory was the most satisfying of the lot.

"I enjoy my life even better now. As I always say, you have to fight a lot in life, but when you come out of a fight, you feel stronger. And all this brings me a lot of confidence."

As for the dominance that she has displayed over the past three years on Paris' red dirt, Henin described Roland Garros as a second home.

"It's like my garden. I just feel home over here. And I always walk on the court with the goal to give my best and be ready for a tough fight. And if the match is getting easier than what I could expect for, that's pretty good news."

- Jeremy Stahl in Paris