Melbourne, Jan 28 (DPA) Grand Slam powerhouse players Serena Williams and Justine Henin are to clash for the 14th time Saturday as they decide the Australian Open title after the pair dismissed a historic Chinese semi-final challenge.
Top seed Williams did it tough Thursday, wasting her first four match points before escaping 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1) past 16th seed Li Na, who with Zheng Jie became the first two Chinese players to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam.
“Of course, I was a little bit sad,” Li said. “I stopped in the semi-finals, but it was a good day for my tennis. I played well.
“At the beginning, the crowd was for her, but around 6-all in the second set and the tiebreak, I think the crowd changed.”
Henin, a seven-time Grand Slam winner who is playing in only her second event since reversing her 2008 retirement, rolled past Zheng 6-1, 6-0.
Williams holds a 7-6 lead in her high-voltage series with Henin, dating to a 2001 US Open fourth round. The pair have never played for a title at one of the four majors.
“I honestly was not in a rush,” Henin said after finishing in 51 minutes. “I felt very good out there. I was excited to go onto the court, and everything went pretty well today.”
The Belgian won the Melbourne title in 2004. Williams has odd-year trophies from 2003, 2005, 2007 and a year ago as she goes into her fifth final at the event.
“I’m happy I was able to pull it off,” Williams said. “It was really close. I wasn’t at my best today, but I’m still here. I’m going to do whatever I can to stay.
“She’s a fighter. I knew I had to close it out.”
Williams had to fire up in the end to deny confident shotmaker Li during China’s finest performance at a major. Williams screeched as she finally ended her agony with a 12th ace in the tight contest.
Should she win the trophy at Melbourne Park for a fifth time, she would tie the record of a dozen major singles titles also held by women’s tennis pioneer Billie Jean King.
Li, who is to become China’s first player to move into the top 10 rankings, booked her place by upsetting Venus Williams a day earlier. “I talked to Venus,” her sister Serena said. “She told me how to play her and what do to. That always helps.”
Williams was forced into a second-set tiebreaker after failing on her first four match-winners. The American was able to convert on only one of nine break-point chances while dropping her serve once.
Williams struck 33 winners while Li had 21 along with 38 unforced errors.
The win over Li was the second for Serena Williams at the open after defeating Li in the 2006 first round in three sets.
Henin controlled the statistics in her brief match, which she said validated her decision to return to the game.
“There was no way I could think about something like this,” the former number one said. “I was curious as to what I would feel on court, how things would go.
“I’m going match-by-match, step-by-step. I’m very happy to come back this way.”
“To be in the final here is fantastic for me,” she said. “This is a very special occasion. The dream continues.”
rounak