In Stuttgart, Justine Henin, playing as a wild card, reached her third final since returning to the tour, and this one went her way. Henin defeated Sam Stosur 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in a match that had its ups and downs for both players. Both played very well in the first set, but Henin was able to get a crucial break. In the second set, Stosur escaped breaks twice, and gained so much momentum that she was able to dominate Henin--who made a series of unforced errors--6-2.
The third set was up for grabs, and Henin, consistently taking the ball very quickly, grabbed it with a stunning display of tennis. This display included a series of the kind of volleys that are really difficult to execute, yet Henin makes them look so easy. There were a few good rallies--one in particular--near the end of the match, but there was little that Stosur could do about Henin's combination of aggression and precision.
In doubles, the number 1 seeds, Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, backed up their big Miami win with a 3-6, 7-6, 10-5 victory over 2nd seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik.
Henin now has 42 singles titles.
This is Dulko's eleventh doubles title, and Pennetta's eighth; it is the fifth title for Dulko and Pennetta as a team.
5 comments:
I was happy about both the doubles and singles. I was glad that Justine finally got the "monkey off her back." I think her match with Jankovic was a turning point. Sam fell victim to Justine's exquisite play in the end where Justine fell victim to Sam's kick serve and hits down the lines. I think Sam is up there now with the best clay courters. Madrid will be interesting because there will be a lot of tired women (I would think) after many of them played Stuttgart, Rome and Madrid. It was amazing what Dinara did last year being a finalist at Stuttgart and then winning Rome and Madrid.
This comes at a good time for Justine, with Roland Garros on the horizon. Did her broken finger have any effect on her play?
I don't think so, Bill. It probably still feels a bit awkward, but I don't think a break like that is painful at this point. Lucky for her she has a one-handed backhand.
This was impressive both physically and mentally! Stosur played very well throughout and had captured 7 games out of 9 to lead 1-0 at the start of the third. Justine then steamrolled her 6-1. Her unforced errors disappeared, to be replaced by the kind of clay court brilliance that not another player in the world possesses. If her play at Roland Garros is at the level of today's third set, there is a fifth French title awaiting Henin. But is she all the way back? Can she produce such flawless and predatory tennis for the tournament rather than for a set? RG should be great to watch although most likely without Kim Clijsters, sadly.
I'm going to be pondering those questions soon, Jen, in the blog. Stay tuned...
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