COUNTRYWOMEN PROVIDE THE MATCH TO WATCH

Kim-Justine to engage in final ’02 Battle of Belgium

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

FROM THE WTA HOME DEPOT CHAMPIONSHIPS - After watching the inspired Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters cruise to straight-sets victories on Wednesday at the Staples Center, one observer guaranteed that one of the Belgians would take home the $3 million WTA Home Depot Championship title.

While there is still a Williams or two to knock off before that dream is realized, both Henin and Clijsters were impressive on Wednesday, with Henin dispatching the erratic Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-3 and Clijsters blowing out a disinterested Chanda Rubin 6-1 6-2.

Henin played smart, defensive tennis much of the day, patiently retrieving and waiting for the Russian to bury an inside out forehand into the net, knock a backhand down the line long, stone hand a volley or double fault.

”She made the errors,” said Henin of Dementieva, who committed 40 unforced errors to 27 off her racket. “She either makes mistakes or winners. It’s hard to find a break. I had to be careful in my defense. I tried to be aggressive on the return when I could.”

CLISTERS CRASHES RUBIN

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

The 19-year-old Clijsters – who has won two of her last three events – humiliated Rubin in just 57 minutes. It was an awful result for Chanda, who appeared to be spaced out much of the day and couldn’t keep a ball in the court.”

“I felt like I had to show in the beginning of the match I was very competitive out there, and I was trying to be very aggressive and keeping her under pressure,” said Clijsters. “I was dictating most of the points. I wasn't really worried.”

The quarterfinal matchup between 20-year-old Henin and Clijsters will be the seventh time the two Fed Cup teammates have played, with Clijsters holding a 4-2 edge.

Henin won the last time the two played, on clay in the semifinals in Rome, but Clijsters beat her twice in January in Sydney and at the Australian Open on a similar surface to one they are using in Los Angeles.

Of course, their key match occurred in the semis of ’01 Roland Garros, when Justine choked a huge lead and allowed Kim to come back and win a three setter.
It’s still pretty obvious that it’s Henin who’s the more nervous player when they step on court. Clijsters has a more carefree personality, while Justine is a tightly wound scrapper.

“I don’t focus on the player standing in front of me,” Clijsters said. “I remember the first time I played Steffi Graf at Wimbledon, my coach was telling me, ‘Don’t worry about who’s standing there.’ It’s not easy to say when you are there the first time. Now. I’ve got the experience and I know I’ve got to play my best if I want be able to beat my opponents.”

Even though she has been a top echelon player for almost two years now, Henin has always been a half a step behind the younger Kim. Henin has more variety to her game, but Kim knows how to hit through her. Brussels and much of the French and Flemish speaking populaces of Belgium will be watching when the two take the court on Friday.

NATIONAL EVENT WHEN THEY PLAY
"It's always a little special," said Henin. "It's a different match for us than to play another player. We have to deal with that because for sure we will play each other many times in the future. In Belgium it’s a special match. I will try to be focused on myself and try to forget the situation. We are both professional and know what we have to do."

Clijsters has ended the year ranked ahead of Henin the past three years, but says that it doesn’t matter to her who ends up the year as Belgium’s best player.

“I would be happy for her,” said Clijsters. “It’s great for Belgium to have Justine and myself. I think that’s how Belgium feels as well. They always compare us. I’d be really happy after everything that Justine has gone through, if she’s becomes No. 1 in Belgium.” Henin’s mother, Francoise, died when Justine was 12.

If Justine wins Friday’s match, she’s guaranteed to stay ahead of Clijsters in the yearend rankings. Even if she loses to her countrywoman, Clijsters will have to win the title to stay ahead of Henin – a Herculean task playing in the Williamses and Lindsay Davenport’s backyard.

But Clijsters says she’s playing her best tennis of the year and isn’t counting herself out.

“I’m going to give it another week and be very disciplined and professional,” Clijsters said. “I know next week that I can eat and do whatever I like.”