Hat-trick for Henin at French Open

Belgian world number one wins Roland Garros final in straight sets.

justin henin
Henin has won all her French Open finals in straight sets [AFP]

All Henin’s French Open final wins have come in straight sets. This year’s final was no exception as the 19-year-old Ivanovic, playing in her first Grand Slam final, failed to reproduce the sparkling form that saw off Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals.

“Everything went so well for me though I was tight at the start,” said Henin.

 

“All my matches have been in straight sets and it is just majestic.

 

“It feels different this year because I have had some difficult moments … but I have rediscovered my happiness and my family.”

 

Ivanovic, who got off to an encouraging start by breaking Henin’s serve to open the final, praised the Belgian.

 

“She’s a great player and played a great match.”

 

The Serbian teenager who admitted that nerves got the better of her when she served at 1-0, 40-0 early in the final, said: “I started OK but I got nervous in the second game and my ball toss went everywhere. I had no control over it.

 

“You have to be a great player to beat her.”

 

Ivanovic hammered a forehand winner down the line to open the final and broke Henin’s serve when the Belgian double-faulted on break point.

 

No mercy

 

The Serb then had three points at 40-0 on her own serve to go 2-0 up but she started having problems with her toss allowing Henin to get into the match and break back thanks to a vicious net display.

 

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Ivanovic has risen to sixth in the
world rankings [AFP]

Henin took control of the rallies switching the play intelligently from side to side, and resultantly took the first set 6-1 in just 34 minutes.

 

The agony continued for Ivanovic as she dropped her serve in the opening game of the second set, falling 2-0 down with a mountain to climb.

 

The Serb did manage to stop the rot of losing eight games in a row by winning her next service game, but two games later, following an increase in intensity from Henin, Ivanovic crumbled.

 

At 4-1 up, Henin showed no mercy clinching her fourth French Open title on her own serve pushing away an easy volley at the net. 

 

For Ivanovic the consolation is that she will rise to sixth in the world rankings having established herself as a genuine contender at Grand Slam tournaments.

Source: News Agencies