Henin Wins 3rd Straight French; Federer v Nadal

Posted on June 10, 2007

Henin Smokes, Ivanovic Chokes in French Open Final

A Serbian threat turned into just another teen choking on the big stage when world No. 1 Justine Henin ran past a nervous Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-2 in the women's final of the French Open Sunday.

It was the fourth overall French title for Henin, and third in a row, tying the Open Era record for consecutive wins set by Monica Seles.

Henin, who did not lose a set during the tournament, dropped serve immediately in the first set before her game came on track, and the Serb's mental strength faltered.


"All of a sudden it just hit me," said Ivanovic, who led by a break 1-0 and 40-love in the second game before too much thinking proven detrimental. "I realized what was happening, then the nerves came into my serve; I was having so much trouble with my toss on the first serve and it was going everywhere. I was just trying to put my first serves in. She used those opportunities and broke me back right away."

Henin said the second game of the first-set was all-important to not dig too deep a hole.

"That game was important, to really stay close to her in the match," Henin said. "She was getting pretty nervous and I did my job perfectly. I hit a good shot to come back to deuce and then hit one or two pretty good forehands. I felt a little bit more free after that. I served well and did exactly what I had to do."

Henin attributed her nervous start to the occasion.

"I wanted this victory so much," Henin added. "You cannot imagine how strongly I felt, even if I was a bit nervous at the beginning of the match. But I couldn't lose this one. I wanted to win another title here in Paris. I'm very happy and proud about it. It's been a great adventure the last few weeks to build this victory...It's like my garden. I just feel at home over here. I was at the draw ceremony and I was not very pleased to play Serena in the quarters, but I always say when you arrive at the Grand Slams, it's long. You have seven matches and you have to build something day after day, and I did. I just enjoyed every moment of it."

Ivanovic had never previously surpassed the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam, and during the fortnight recorded Top 3 wins over former Slam winners Svetlana Kuznetsova and Maria Sharapova.

"This was a great experience and I can actually learn from Justine because she's such a great champion," Ivanovic said. "I'm sure she was nervous too, but she just dealt with it better than I did. I had an amazing two weeks here and played some really good tennis. I beat a few top players, so that gave me a lot of confidence. This is a whole new situation I had to deal with and I'm really proud of my achievements. I'm very excited for upcoming tournaments and other chances I'll get."

Henin's win was made sweeter by the support of her formerly-estranged family in the stands after a recent reconciliation.

"The atmosphere, what I felt when I won and my family and the good people around me all being there was so special," Henin said. "It has been a huge step in my life in the last few months that I am in touch with my family again. I was glad I could give them this victory. Everyone suffered from the situation in the last few years. Today, finally, we are united in this joy and we can share this moment and it's great. I feel so happy that I can offer that to them."

In the men's doubles final Saturday Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor, who are ending their partnership after Wimbledon in a bad financial move, won their first Roland Garros doubles title with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Czechs Lukas Dlouhy and Pavel Vizner.

French Open Mens Final Preview: Rog v Rafa

World No. 1 Roger Federer will set out to show that his first claycourt win weeks back over Rafael Nadla was no fluke as he takes on the Spaniard for the second consecutive year on Sunday in the final of the French Open.

This marks the first time since 1968-69 the same finalists are in back-to-back championships at Roland Garros. In 1968 Ken Rosewall defeated countryman Rod Laver and the following year Laver beat Rosewall.

Nadal has beaten Federer the last two years at the French.

Nadal attempts to become the first player to win the Roland Garros title without dropping a set since Bjorn Borg in 1980, and is attempting to join Borg as the only players (since 1925) to win three or more consecutive Roland Garros titles. Borg won four in a row from 1978-81, and six overall.

Federer for his part is trying to join Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962, ?69) as the only players to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.

"It's a very important match for him," Nadal said, "but it's also very important match for me."

With the win Federer will by many standards take the mantle of "greatest player ever," topping his multitude of records with the last Slam to elude his grasp.

"I know what works with [Nadal] and what doesn't work when I play him," Federer said Saturday. "But you don't want to think that if I play the way I played in Hamburg, I'm going to win again. One, because I can't play exactly the same way, and second, because I guess he's not going to make exactly the same mistakes again."

Nadal leads the all-surface head-to-head with Federer 7-4, but the Swiss has won three of their last four meetings.

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Sania Mirza says where are all the tall strapping men in India?: "I don't know what kind of a guy I will settle down with. I just know that he should be taller than me. He has to be at least six-feet tall. I see very few boys in the country who are taller than me. I don't meet any. I don't know where they are."...From the AP on Justine Henin reuniting with her estranged family: "An hour after clutching her fourth French Open trophy, Justine Henin cradled other precious cargo in her arms: her 6-week-old niece. Talking and laughing with friends and relatives in a lounge just off center court, Henin slowly rocked her brother's baby, then gently kissed her head. As much as a sixth Grand Slam title meant to the top-ranked Belgian, this scene was worth far more. For Henin, life off the court has long presented far more problems than life on it. So after overwhelming No. 7 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-1, 6-2 Saturday for a third consecutive French Open championship, Henin was thrilled to be able to sip champagne alongside family members with whom she only recently re-established contact. "It's been a huge step in my life in the last few months. And I was glad I could give them this victory, because everyone suffered a lot," said Henin, who went about seven years without speaking to her father or three siblings. "Today, finally, we are united in this joy, and we can share this moment."...Rafael Nadal wants to make it clear he has no sexual interest in Justine Henin: "...there was a funny moment when I was asked about my favorite female player and I said that it was Henin. When I said that she was it because of her tennis and only that, all journalist were laughing, thinking about the double sense. I had to make clear that I just referred to the one which seems the most complete playing tennis. NOTHING ELSE!!!"...Lleyton Hewitt on the grasscourt season which starts Monday: "I feel there are only a handful of guys who can push Federer on a grasscourt at the moment and I would like to think I am definitely one of those. On grass in particular, I feel very capable. Roger has won Wimbledon four times and that an incredible feat but there are not many people who can go and win it, so I give myself a fighting chance." Hewitt is 1-2 career vs. Federer on grass, beating the Swiss in 2001.