Henin, Williams both looking for history in Melbourne
By DPA, IANSFriday, January 29, 2010
MELBOURNE - Justine Henin could complete her career comeback fairytale with a victory over Serena Williams in Saturday’s Australian Open women’s final, with the Belgian taking a Grand Slam advantage into the clash with the four-time American champion.
Her US opponent could tie the 12 Grand Slam crowns of tennis pioneer Billie Jean King, should she triumph for the fifth time at Melbourne Park.
Henin, bidding for her eighth trophy at a major, has beaten Williams in four of six Grand Slam meetings as they face off for the first time in Melbourne,.
Between them, the pair of current and former world number one players own 76 titles (Henin 41, Williams 35), including 18 Grand Slam titles (Williams 11, Henin 7).
Henin is playing in only her second event after reversing her May 2008, retirement, when she stepped down due to burnout while atop the WTA rankings.
She could also duplicate the exploit of countrywoman and longtime rival Kim Clijsters, who won the US Open in September after making a comeback.
“This is more than a dream,” said Henin, 27 and unseeded. “I’m so happy to play against Serena; if I want to win another Grand Slam, I’ll have to beat the best player of the world.
“That’s just the biggest challenge I could get,” she said.
“I have to be honest, I didn’t really expect that. But now that’s a reality that is coming. I will try to be at my best.”
Williams narrowly leads the series 7-6, winning their last match in Miami nearly two years ago after losing the previous three - all of them Grand Slam quarter-finals.
“She’s playing really well, she’s doing great,” Williams said of Henin after both finalists beat Chinese opposition in their semi-finals. “It will be good. I hope to serve well. But regardless, I’ll have to do other things well, too.”
Henin will be playing in her third Melbourne final after defeating Clijsters in 2004 and retiring in controversial circumstances against Amelie Mauresmo trailing 6-1, 2-0 in 2006.
The Belgian has reached a dozen Grand Slam finals, winning 7 titles, most recently at the 2007 US Open.
Williams owns Australian Open honours in odd-numbered years starting in 2003 and hopes to break that mark with her fifth title in Melbourne at the weekend.
“I definitely think of her as a rival, I think we bring out the best game in each other,” Williams said. “If we both just play our hearts out, that’s what creates a good rivalry.”
Henin will take a 41-17 career record in finals into the match.
“We respect each other a lot for that,” the Belgian said. “We’re both real fighters, we want to win.”
She said that getting used to the drama and intensity of playing for the big prizes was one of the reasons she returned to the game.
“I want to play, I’m fresh mentally and emotionally - even if it took me a lot of energy in the last few weeks to come back and play my first matches and face all of this again.
“It’s coming very early for me to be in a Grand Slam final. It’s a lot of things to deal with.”
