[Tennis] Henin-Hardenne overcomes Rubin.

[Wannes]

Henin wont stop now. :rofl:

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne sprained her ankle and needed treatment on a toe before overcoming seventh-seeded Chanda Rubin 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 Thursday and advancing to the semifinals at the Adidas International.

Fourth-seeded Lindsay Davenport, on the comeback after an operation on her foot last October, picked up a chest muscle strain in 6-3, 6-4 win over Russian Elena Dementieva to set up a showdown with Henin-Hardenne.

Davenport later withdrew from a doubles semifinal after she and Corina Morariu won the first set and were trailing 0-3 in the second against Rennae Stubbs and Cara Black, casting doubt over her fitness for the semifinal.

Earlier, Davenport said she wouldn't risk aggravating the problem with the Australian Open starting Monday. Four former women's champions (Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Mary Pierce and Monica Seles) have already withdrawn from the Australian Open with injuries, while No. 2-ranked Kim Clijsters is in doubt with an ankle problem.

Henin-Hardenne needed a medical timeout after losing the second set against Rubin to treat a minor sprain of her left ankle and a blister on her right big toe.

She said her ankle was OK and the blisters were a regular part of life on tour.

After she rallied from 0-40 in the fifth game to take a 4-2 lead in the third set, the 21-year-old Belgian had a match point on Rubin's serve in the ninth game but had to serve it out, winning with a forehand down the line.

"It's great to have a match like this the week before a Grand Slam -- it was a high level of tennis and had a lot of tension," she said. "I had a few nerves but it's natural in the second match of the year and very good to be like that before a Grand Slam."

Third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France had a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Russian Anastasia Myskina to set up a semifinal against unseeded Italian Francesca Schiavone, a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi.

In the men's draw, Dutchman Martin Verkerk saved a set point in the second before upsetting Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis 6-4, 7-6 (4) to move into a semifinal against another Australian, two-time Adidas International champion Lleyton Hewitt.

Hewitt, a former No. 1 player, had a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win over Frenchman Arnaud Clement, getting the decisive break in the sixth game of the third set to advance to the final four.

Hewitt saved three break points in the fifth game of the third set after serving at 0-40. He held and then broke Clement in the next to go 4-2.

"To get through at such a close stage in the third set was a real positive," he said.

Carlos Moya continued his unbeaten start to 2004 with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo.

A winner of the Tata Open in Madras last week, the third-seeded Moya said getting on a winning roll was good for his confidence ahead of the Australian Open.

"The most important thing is being confident. Last week it didn't seem like I was playing great tennis, but I was winning," he said. "Since I got here, I'm playing very well and I'm improving with every match."

Moya next faces veteran South African Wayne Ferreira, who had a 6-4, 6-4 quarterfinal win over Australian wild card entry Todd Reid.

[wildliquid]

she has to be my favourite female tennis player. i think it is because of her small size but her mamouth spirit, that just never seems to give up. Go Justine!

[.Joa]

Wooohoooo GO Justine!!!

She's from Belgium just like me :D :D :D

Go justine!!! :happy:

[Wannes]

Of course she is Belgian. :p

Yea, she is a great player and will stay a while at the number one seed. :D

[BroChaos Veteran]

argh, i hate henine hardine, and clijsters. damn belgians. go capriati :)

[jymi]

mighty mouse rules, go henine hardine.

off topic: taylor dent is crap, had to get it out of my system

[BroChaos Veteran]

he's got a big serve though. i think i watched him win the US 16's Nationals.

[Wannes]

mighty mouse rules, go henine hardine.

off topic: taylor dent is crap, had to get it out of my system

I hate that guy. All his has is a godo server and then finish. You see no game play in such a games. :(

[BroChaos Veteran]

that's the whole point of a serve & vollyer though :)

the last thing dent wants to do is get into a long rally.

[Wannes]

No offence but he is far from a real tennis player, I mean everyone could serve and run to the net. Some people make it fun to watch though. I love rallys they are great. :D

[imtoomuch]

Anna Kournikova is still my favorite tennis player. I hope you don't have to ask why. ;)

[Drov]

Let's all face it, tennis isn't what it used to be. The sport is growing around a more powerful player that serves it up hard and returns it hard as well. This makes for some short games that don't captivate the audience like it used to in the Jimmy Connor's era. However, you are all right that Taylor Dent is not a very good player. If he looked like David Beckham he'd be the male version of Anna K. :D

However, to stay on topic, Justine is a great player. Her one handed backhand is so great to watch and be an aww of as she makes it look so effortless yet so powerful. She has a unique style of playing tennis and I think that is why a lot of people are rallying around her. She proves that it's the size of the bite, not the size of the dog.

Just my .02 cents.