Henin eases into final

ByEurosport

Published 08/06/2006 at 16:08 GMT

Defending champion Justine Henin Hardenne eased into the French Open final with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 win over compatriot Kim Clijsters on Thursday. The Belgian will now face Svetlana Kuznetsova in Saturday's final after the Russian had earlier beaten Nic

Second seeded Clijsters looked uncharacteristically out of sorts, and Henin - who has never lost a final at Roland Garros - capitalised to book a place in her third career French Open final.

TENNIS 2006 French Open Henin-Hardenne J. - Clijsters K.

Image credit: dpa

The match was billed as a battle of Belgium, but what transpired on the court was far from that, as Clijsters capitulated all too easily.

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That said, Henin - winner in 2003 and 2005 - did well to keep her concentration throughout the match, and the win means she keeps her fantastic record of not having dropped a set during the whole of the tournament.

If she goes on to win the final, Henin will become the first player since Arantxa Sanchez Vicario to win the title without having lost a set.

"I SERVED WELL"

"I tried to put a maximum of pressure from the start," said the number five seed.

TENNIS 2006 French Open Henin-Hardenne J. - Clijsters K.

Image credit: dpa

"I served well, it was essential. I did not shiver in the key moments. I forced her into rallies and I know she does not like that.

"Now I really have to stay focused because there is another big match on Saturday. It's quite something as I can win my third Roland Garros."

Despite having to save two break points in her first two service games, Henin rallied back and broke decisively in the eighth game of the first set, before taking the set with an ace.

OFF FORM

Clijsters looked in real trouble on the centre court, as her serve failed again in the third game of the second set, a double fault gifting Henin the advantage.

TENNIS 2006 French Open Henin-Hardenne J. - Clijsters K.

Image credit: dpa

And the former world number one went on to break for a final time in the seventh game of the second set before serving out to take the set to two and the match with it.

Clijsters - who was celebrating her 23rd birthday on Thursday - had talked at length of Henin's status as the best player on clay before the semi-final, and afterwards, her opinion was no different.

"I have tried to do my best," said Clijsters, herself twice a finalist at Roland Garros. "She plays very, very well, she is the best player on clay."

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