Justine Henin-Hardenne’s impressive recovery from illness and injury continued on Thursday when a 6-2, 6-3 win over outclassed Russian Nadia Petrova put her within touching distance of a second French Open title.
For the Belgian 10th seed, the 2003 champion, it was her 23rd successive win and she will now face either France’s Mary Pierce or Russia’s Elena Likhovtseva on Saturday for the championship.
If she pulls it off, it will complete a remarkable turnaround in her fortunes.
Henin-Hardenne, who turned 23 on Wednesday, has battled back from an energy-sapping virus that decimated large parts of her 2004 campaign, as well as a fractured knee that kept her off the tour until April.
But since her return, she has picked up titles in Charleston, Warsaw and Berlin, where she defeated Petrova in the final, and has battled back pain to make the final in Paris.
”This is a great reward for all the problems I have suffered,” said Henin-Hardenne. ”I was in total control of my game today.”
Petrova also believes the title is there for the taking.
”She can win it because of the form she’s in,” said Petrova.
The Russian 22-year-old, still looking for her first career title, was outgunned by the Belgian who took full advantage of her opponent’s nerves, which prompted 17 unforced errors in the first set.
Henin-Hardenne was far from her normal fluent self, but she was the more composed on the bigger points than Petrova, whom she had already defeated in six of their previous seven meetings.
The first three games of the semifinal all went against serve before Henin-Hardenne served a love-game to lead 3-1.
Petrova, constantly pinned behind the baseline, served a double fault to fall 2-5 down.
Henin-Hardenne wasted two set points with her fourth double fault of the first set, but secured the opener after 34 minutes when Petrova, finding it impossible to find a killer stroke, netted another poor forehand.
The Belgian broke in the first game of the second set before Petrova stopped the rot to come back to lead 2-1.
But that was about as good as it got for the Russian, who cracked again in the seventh game to hand Henin-Hardenne a 4-3 lead.
Henin-Hardenne then took the tie with another break in the ninth game when Petrova hit a lazy forehand high and wide after just 68 minutes on court. — Sapa-AFP