Davenport Not Hip on Retirement Against Henin at WTA Charleston

Posted on April 16, 2005

Former No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne advanced into the semifinals Friday at the WTA stop in Charleston when her much-anticipated match with world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport was cut short after the American retired in the third set with a hip injury.

"It's not the way I like to win, but you have to take it," Henin-Hardenne said. "I'm happy I'm in the semis, but I would for sure prefer it another way."

Davenport received medical treatment as early as the opening set.

"I was doing a pretty good job of just going for my shots and going for winners right away," Davenport said. "But you know, after a while, you just can't play under 50 percent out there."

No. 13-seeded Tatiana Golovin continued her dirt streak in Charleston, following up her win over Venus Williams with a straight-set win over No. 7 seed Nadia Petrova.

"This really has been a great tournament for me," Golovin said. "I'm really excited. I think I played a solid match out there."

Others into the semis were No. 2 seed Elena Dementieva (d. Srebotnik in three), and No. 8 Patty Schnyder (d. Vaidisova).

"I think that was the most difficult condition that I have ever played, and it was a great fight for both of us," Dementieva said. "With all this cold weather and wind, I was like, 'Is it a tournament or is it the Survivor show,' because you really had to survive on the court today."

Aside from her stellar analogies, Dementieva says her meeting with Schnyder in the semis could be even more difficult.

"I think she's the toughest player on the claycourts," Dementieva said. "She's so unpredictable, and it's very difficult because she has a great feeling here with all the slice and drop shots that she can make."

Saturday's line-up is the unseeded Henin-Hardenne vs. (13) Golovin, and (8) Schnyder vs. (2) Dementieva, and in doubles Raymond/Stubbs vs. Benesova/Peschke, and Dominguez Lino/Medina Garrigues vs. Martinez/Ruano Pascual.