Schiavone Upsets Four-time Champion for Semi-final Berth at Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships

Dubai, UAE, February 28th, 2008: All winning streaks eventually have to come to an end, and Justine Henin’s run at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships came to an end on Thursday when she was beaten 7-6 7-6 by Italian Francesca Schiavone. She had previously won 17 out of 17 matches in Dubai, lifting the trophy four times.

Schiavone fully deserved her victory for the manner in which she maintained pressure on the world number one throughout the two hour 25-minute battle. She chased down every ball and kept Henin on the run, not allowing her to gain the upper hand at any stage.

Henin held just one break point in the first set, at 2-2, but made a forehand error, and Schiavone went on to dominate the tiebreak. But the real drama came in the second set, as Schiavone broke to lead 3-2 and then again at 4-2 to find herself serving for victory.

Henin briefly fought her way back into the match at that stage, and Schiavone was twice unable to serve out the match. The nearest she came was to hold a match point at 5-4, but she made a forehand error. Henin then went on to lead 6-5, but Schiavone held her next service game to take the set into another tiebreak, which she won 7-4 by taking the final four points.

“She played well but I didn’t take the opportunities and wasn’t brave enough. She was better than me, as simple as that,” said Henin, who admitted she was tired after her three-hour match on Wednesday but saying that was not the reason she lost.

“I didn’t go for the winners. I was playing not to lose the point instead of trying to win a lot of points. That makes a big difference. I had my chances to come back in the second set but I was too short.

“Especially in the tie-breaks I didn’t play well at all, and she came to the net and I didn’t and that made a big difference. Every short ball she was in and I didn’t do the same, and that really paid off for her.”

Schiavone appeared almost as delighted to be received by a full interview room as she was at winning her match, only the second time she has beaten a world number one. The previous victim was Amelie Mauresmo in a Fed Cup tie.

“To beat Justine you have to play very good, at a high level, and I did today,” said Schiavone. “I think for me it is my best win. Maybe she missed some balls, but personally I think I didn’t give the possibility and the chance to come up and come up like she does every time.

“Every point you have to beat her. It’s like every point is match point. So at the end when I was in the tiebreak I said you push now or you go home, so it’s better that you push now. And I did it.”

In other matches, Jelena Jankovic enjoyed an unexpected 23rd birthday present when her opponent retired after the opening set. The fourth seeded Serb was leading 6-1 when sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia called the trainer, and then quit the match because of a left thigh injury.

That gave Jankovic even more of a reason to celebrate, after she had walked on court to an ovation from the fans.

“I came on court today and everybody started singing and everybody’s in a good mood and saying I have to win because it’s my birthday,” she said. “It’s very strange to play on your birthday because if you don’t win you’re very disappointed and it’s not a good way to celebrate the day, but I got through the day so it’s good.”

After the match she was presented with a cake on court, which she shared with her Serbian fans.

“They told me too that they had a huge cake for me in the garden, and drinks, and it’s very nice of them to come. I hadn’t told anyone it was my birthday because I’m shy. Then I come and court and everybody started singing, so there you go. It’s very nice and I really appreciate their support.”

Jankovic will now play Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semi-finals, after the second seeded Russian held off a strong second set challenge to beat former champion Amelie Mauresmo of France 6-1 7-6.

In the other semi-final Schiavone will face eighth seeded Russian Elena Dementieva, who claimed an upset 5-7 6-3 6-3 victory over third seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia.