Top-ranked Henin hangs on, wins in Dubai DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Top-ranked Justine Henin was stretched to the limit by Katarina Srebotnik, before beating the Slovenian qualifier 7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-3 to reach the Dubai Championships quarterfinals on Wednesday. In an enthralling match that lasted exactly three hours, Henin beat Dubai-based Srebotnik to remain perfect at the Aviation Club. The four-time defending champion, who had a first-round bye, improved to 17-0 in Dubai. Henin will next face Italian Francesca Schiavone. Henin, winner of 10 titles in 2007, saw a bright spot in her hard-fought win. “It always seems I get a tough first match in Dubai. But I kind of expected it as Srebotnik is a very good player and she played very well,” said Henin, already a winner in Sydney and Antwerp this season. “I knew it won't be easy because I am just coming from playing indoors in Antwerp. So a tough first match is good for me to get used to the conditions. But still, I thought the third set was the best I played for a long time. … So, even if it was not perfect, I will gladly take the win. The most important thing is that I am in the quarterfinals now.” ===================================================== Henin wins three hour Srebotnik battle Justine Henin needed three hours to overcome plucky Slovenian qualifier Katarina Srebotnik, preserving her unbeaten record at the Dubai Championships with a 7-5 6-7 6-3 victory. Despite the length of the match, the top seeded Belgian was never in danger of losing the match, instead four times coming within two points of victory in the second set tiebreak before losing it 8-6. "That's the kind of match I need," Henin told reporters after reaching the quarter-finals. "I thought she played well and she was really in confidence after winning a lot of matches in the last few days. It's never easy to have a bye and play a girl that has played a few matches. "In the third set I felt much better on the court, the best I've felt in the last few weeks. It's been a long match but it's probably what I need now and I'm very happy I came through tonight." Srebotnik did everything well, making few unforced errors and rallying on equal terms with Henin. The Belgian needed seven set points to secure the first set, led 3-1 in the second before Srebotnik levelled at 3-3, and she remained under pressure in the third as Srebotnik held two break points to lead 3-2. Only when Henin survived that threat and broke for 4-2 with an exquisite crosscourt backhand did the probable outcome become clear. Henin failed to convert two match points on Srebotnik's serve at 5-2, before serving out for her 17th consecutive Dubai victory. "I volleyed quite good and I served very well with a lot of aces, and had very good speed," Henin said. "My return was quite a problem in the first two sets, and finally I felt very comfortable in the third set." =================================================== Scare for Henin at Dubai Open tennis DUBAI (AFP) - Justine Henin suffered an opening match scare for the second successive year as she sought to maintain an unbeaten record by winning her fifth title in a row at the Dubai Open. The world number one from Belgium had to save two points to avoid going a break down in the final set against Katarina Srebotnik before beating the Slovenian qualifier 7-5, 6-7 (6/8) 6-3. Last year Henin was within a point of trailing 1-4 in the final set against Tamira Paszek, an Austrian then aged only 16, but her survival kick-started a year in which she won ten titles. Then Henin was returning to competition after a marital break-up. Now she is coming back after a knee injury and energy-sapping family reunions. Srebotnik often hit the ball very hard and, as the chance of victory emerged, with increasing consistency too, recovering from a mini-break down in the tie-break to force a decider. But just when she needed it, Henin hit the accelerator, coming to the net more, applying pressure from the baseline with angles and variations of spin, and ending the match with several games of colourful, high-quality attack. What had been in danger of becoming a disaster concluded with perhaps her most encouraging performance of the year so far. Certainly Henin thought so. "I only recovered now from what happened to me in 2007," she said. "Mentally and emotionally I was pretty tired in Australia. Today I really enjoyed being out there, even if I wasn't perfect. "I was glad I had the third set to find my rhythm. It was the first set this season in which I've enjoyed my game. I was moving forward, going into the net, serving better, returning better. I've worked harder in the last few days than I normally would before this tournament. With my knee injury I couldn't do a lot in the last few weeks and I arrived without having had the best preparation. "Carlos (Rodriguez, coach) wanted me to work hard and it's good for my confidence that I was out on the court tonight for a long time." Her three-hour contest will be followed by a third round against Francesca Schiavone, the Italian number one. == 雖然比很久,比數也接近 但雙方打的都不錯 重點是,Ju說第三盤是她今年第一場她enjoy的比賽 那麼接下來也請Ju繼續享受吧 --

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