French Open champ takes on the US hardcourts

Henin-Hardenne toughens up for New York

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

FROM THE ACURA CLASSIC IN CARLSBAD, CALIF. – Roland Garros champion Justine Henin-Hardenne can at times be disarmingly honest, like when she said Friday after she smashed Russian strongwoman Nadia Petrova 6-0, 6-2 in just 55 minutes in the quarterfinals that she sometimes fears the power of other elite players on hard courts.

You don't hear too many Grand Slam champions mention the word fear too often, especially the Williams sisters, who were brought up to fear only themselves, their father, Richard, and the wrath of their God.

Second-ranked Kim Clijsters also sneers when asked if she is afraid of anyone or anyone's game. She was raised by nails-tough soccer all-star, Leo Clijsters, who would drag himself back on to the pitch week after week, bloody shins and all.

But Serena, Venus and Clijsters are all large and impressive physical specimens, while Henin-Hardenne is a mere 126 pounds. She's cut and is in tremendous shape, but there isn't one woman on tour who she towers over. Other than her wondrous one-handed backhand, snapping forehand, incredible foot speed and the best serve ever seen on tour for a woman 5-foot-6 and under, Henin-Hardenne's main weapon is her take-no prisoner's attitude.

That's why the third-ranked Henin-Hardenne is coming to the realization that she can reach No. 1. It's not just a little girls' dream. If you don't believe that, remember that the Belgian is the only player to have beaten top-ranked Serena twice this year, including in the match of the year, when she and the French crowd brought Williams to a tearful defeat in the Roland Garros semis.
Before she found out that Serena underwent knee surgery and will miss the US Open, Justine said that Serena knows that she's one of the few players on the tour with enough self-belief to challenge her week in, week out. That's what a steely attitude is all about.

"Serena doesn't feel comfortable. I think I can beat her," Henin-Hardenne said. "It's hard for her that a player like me not so strong and tall and can beat these types of players. She knows I believe in my chances and she doesn't like it, that's for sure."

Henin-Hardenne has much more inner-faith today for two main reasons: She was married last November, which she says gives her necessary of-court security, and she has worked incredibly hard over the past year improving her fitness. She hooked up with legendary tennis trainer Pat Etcheberry during last year's US Open, who has sculpted the likes of Jim Courier, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Jennifer Capriati.

DEMANDING WORKOUTS SCUPT SMALL FRAME
Last December, Etcheberry pushed her so hard that he brought her to tears. His workout sessions and practices are built to make matches seem to be a walk in the park.

"The first couple days in the off-season we did two-a-days and she was so sore she had a hard time even walking," Etcheberry said. "We do strength training as it applies to tennis, not as it applies to how good a woman looks around a swimming pool. She knew she wasn't the tallest and biggest player and needed to play harder and longer and get rid of her minor injuries. My job is not to make her life easy. There were a few times I challenged her, but I said that some day, you'll be glad you did this when you win a Slam and everything we did to that point will be worthwhile."

Etcheberry was right, because that's exactly what Heni-Hardenne said after she won the French Open. He's on the road with Justine this week because her coach, Carlos Rodriguez, is at home back in Europe waiting for the birth of his and his wife's child. Etcheberry and Henin-Hardenne know that if she is to reach her stated goal of winning the loud, pounding marathon that is the US Open next month, she needs to get quicker and even more powerful.

"She needs to play more inside the baseline," Etcheberry said. "I told Arantxa before she beat Steffi Graf in the '94 US Open final that if you play way behind the baseline and Steffi is two meters inside the baseline, she'll just hit winners. You have to hug the baseline as much as possible so if the other player move forward, you have to move forward, too. Especially with the big hitters now, you cannot let yourself be punished."

Lindsay Davenport said Thursday that, without the injured Williamses around, second-ranked Clijsters is the best hardcourt player out there. It's hard to argue with that given that Bank of the West titlist Clijsters has won three outdoor hardcourt titles this year and Justine has won none, but Henin-Hardenne has beaten Clijsters that the last two times they have played (on clay) and you can tell that Henin-Hardenne isn't completely conceding the concrete.

"Kim is playing great on hard and it's her best surface. Maybe Lindsay's right, but I feel like I'm getting closer," Henin said.

Susan Mullane/ Camerawork USA, Inc.

In her near loss to Elena Dementieva in the third round of the Acura, Henin-Hardenne frequently found herself playing the rabbit to Dementieva's hound. Against Petrova, it was Heni-Hardennen who took the ball early and dictated like Stalin in his prime.

"Mentally, I know I have to work hard and be aggressive on hard courts, " the 21-year-old Henin-Hardenne said. "My serve is a big part of it, when I serve like I did today, it gives me a lot of confidence and easy points. Sometimes I was a little afraid of the power of the others players on hardcourts. I need to work on my defense, but the best way to play good defense is to be aggressive. In the past, I was afraid of the power, but now I know I can be powerful when I want."

Who would have thought six months ago when the muscular and ultra-confident Serena won her fourth straight Slam that Justine would have a decent shot at ending Serena's long run at No. 1. Now with Serena out, she has more than a realistic shot and that makes the intense Belgian feel very good indeed.

"It was only a dream a year ago because I wasn't as strong as I am right now," she said. "It could be a reality soon. I'm getting closer and closer. But I'm more focused on winning Grad Slams because you have to win big tournaments to be No,1 . But it has to be great to be No. 1. I'll let you know how it feels if I get there.