DUBAI, 25 February 2007 — Justine Henin defeated second seed Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 7-5 yesterday to win the Dubai Open for the fourth time in five years.
The top seeded Belgian captured her 30th career title after extending her unbeaten streak at the event to 16 matches.
“It’s been a very good match,” Henin told reporters. “I’m very happy the way I played. A fourth title here in Dubai is an amazing feeling.
“It’s only my second tournament back after such a long time, and I could play my best tennis. I’m very happy with the attitude I got. It’s been hard for me this week.” For Mauresmo, winner here in 2002, the match proved to be one too many as she was seeking to claim back-to-back titles following her triumph in Antwerp last week.
Although she displayed flashes of brilliance, the Frenchwoman was reduced to playing catch-up after she was broken in the opening game thanks to a flowing backhand pass from Henin.
Mauresmo also floated too many balls that allowed Henin to secure numerous cheap points.
A heavy forehand winner gave Henin a second break for 4-1, but Mauresmo then began to compete more aggressively. She hit a forehand winner to pull one break back in the next game and had three break points to level at 4-4.
But Henin played her way out of trouble and, although she failed to convert a set point in the next game, the Belgian went on to serve out the set to love.
Mauresmo had another chance to slow Henin’s march to the title when she held a break point to lead 2-0 in the second set.
But Henin dug herself out of trouble with an exquisite low forehand, and then took advantage of an inexplicably poor game from Mauresmo at 5-5.
Mauresmo’s sixth double-fault gave Henin the breakthrough and she finished the match by winning the last 12 points.
Youzhny Repeats History
With Win Over Djokovic
In Rotterdam, Netherlands, Mikhail Youzhny produced a repeat of last week’s win over Serb hope Novak Djokovic as the steady Russian moved into the final of the Rotterdam Open with a 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-5 fight-back yesterday.
The unseeded Youzhny had beaten the 19-year-old Djokovic in the first round at Marseille and duplicated that script with his Dutch success in a grueling two hours, 44 minutes.
The No. 22, now 13-4 on the season, will play for his third career title when he faces the winner from a later semifinal between top seed Nikolay Davydenko and number three Ivan Ljubicic.
Youzhny showed the determination which took him to the US Open semifinals last year as he came back from a set down, then saved three match points while recovering from a break down in the final set.
The late dramatics were similar to the Marseille win, which he claimed 7-6 in the third over Djokovic, tipped as one of the names for the next generation of the game.
“This was my best win this year, it was a lot like last week,” said the winner. “It seemed like this was my day, I was a bit lucky.
“That win (in Marseille) gave me confidence, and I was able to play well today against a tough opponent.”
Roddick, Williams Advance
at Memphis Tennis
American Andy Roddick posted a 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) win over Lu Yen-hsun on Friday to set up a semifinal match with Andy Murray at the $865,000 ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament. Venus Williams also advanced and will challenge for her first title since Wimbledon in 2005 after posting a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ioana Raluca Olaru of Russia in Friday’s semi-finals.
Williams will face top-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel for the 25,840 first-place prize. Peer secured her spot in the final with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over American Meilen Tu.
On his way to his second ATP Tour title, Murray beat Roddick in the semifinals at San Jose last week.
The third-seeded Murray cruised into the semifinals here earlier Friday with a 6-3, 6-2 rout of Austrian Stefan Koubek.
It was the eighth straight win for Murray, who improved to an impressive 15-2 on the season.
“I feel like these are the sort of runs I need to go on to prove to people I can go deep in the slams and keep up play for two weeks,” Murray said. “I haven’t done that before, and I hope I can do it now.” The latest win was an impressive one for the 19-year-old Murray, who needed just 61 minutes to dispose of Koubek, ranked 73rd in the world.
Murray took control from the outset, breaking serve at love in the second game. He converted three of five break chances overall.
“That’s the best match I have played so far,” Murray said. “I hit the ball really well from the ground, didn’t make too many unforced errors and took my chances when I had them.”
After his early break, Murray remained in control by showing off his strong form from the baseline.
When he was challenged, Murray also was able to respond as he used a powerful serve to save two break-point chances in the fourth game of the second set.
Second-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany advanced to the semi-finals with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over American wild card Sam Querrey. “Yesterday was a tough match with Amer Delic and I didn’t really have an opportunity to break him,” said Haas, who improved to 24-6 lifetime in Memphis.
“Today, I didn’t think it was going to be an easy match, but I was reading his serve well and playing good tactics against him and being very solid.
“I’ve been solid all week since I’ve been here, and if I play like that, I think I’m going to be tough to beat.” Haas next will meet fourth-seeded American Marty Fish, who advanced when Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia was forced to retire in the second set with a viral illness. Fish was holding a 6-2, 4-1 lead when the match was stopped.
Williams, a winner of 33 WTA Tour titles, is making her first appearance in more than four months because of a nagging wrist injury.
Peer is seeking her fourth career title. Her previous three all came last season.
