Four-time Champion Henin Extends Perfect Record at Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships

Dubai, UAE, February 27th, 2008: Justine Henin was kept on court for three hours before she finally overcame Slovenian qualifier Katarina Srebotnik 7-5 6-7 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships on Wednesday.

The top seeded Belgian, who has now won 17 consecutive matches in Dubai and is bidding for her fifth title, came within two points of victory in the tiebreak, but had to wait another set before finally ending the challenge of her inspired opponent.

Srebotnik refused to be intimidated and rallied well with Henin, and she kept herself in contention almost to the end. It was Srebotnik who earned the first opportunities in the final set, holding two break points for a 3-2 lead. But instead it was Henin who held for 3-2, and she then broke with a stunning backhand winner to lead 4-2.

“In the third set I felt much better on the court, the best I’ve felt in the last few weeks,” said Henin. “It’s been a long match but it’s probably what I need now and I’m very happy I came through tonight. I volleyed quite good and I served very well with a lot of aces, and had very good speed. My return was quite a problem in the first two sets, and finally I felt very comfortable in the third set.”

Henin was not the only top player to struggle on Wednesday, as Jelena Jankovic was stretched to the limit by Indian icon Sania Mirza, taking two hours 14-minutes to edge through 4-6 6-3 6-4.

There was some impressive tennis from both players right through the match, but neither managed to establish a rhythm or consistency. Mirza twice broke the third seeded Serb in the first set, only to then immediately lose her own serve. But a third break at 4-4 allowed her to sneak the opening set.

There was just one break of serve in the second set, when Jankovic hit a winner down the line to break for 3-1. She also held two more break points at 4-1 but Mirza held off that challenge, and Jankovic had to fight off two break points as she served out for the set.

In the final set, Mirza built a 3-1 lead, but Jankovic drew on her greater experience and raised her game to earn a welcome victory.

“I had trouble with my shots. I couldn’t set up and I was making quite a lot of errors,” said Jankovic. “When I had the shot I would miss it or I would do something that was not really the best option. But I tried to hang in there and managed to win.”

In contrast, second seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova took under an hour to dismiss Czech Lucie Safarova, winning 6-1 6-2.

“I’m very pleased with that,” said the Russian, who served 10 aces. “I was focused and serving very well. I was enjoying myself and that is very important after the (windy) conditions last week (in Qatar).”

Anna Chakvetadze overcame fellow Russian Dinara Safina 6-7 6-4 6-3, and Mauresmo defeated Japan’s Akiko Morigami 4-6 6-1 6-4. Third seed Ana Ivanovic showed no sign of the ankle sprain she suffered last week as she beat Nicole Vaidisova 6-4 6-0, and eighth-seeded Elena Dementieva overwhelmed Alona Bondarenko 6-2 6-1.

The 2008 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, which is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, continues until March 1st with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournament, and is followed by the ATP event from March 3rd to 8th.