Belgian star, Justine Henin-Hardenne stormed into the Australian Open final after battling past fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova in the semifinals on Thursday. The 2004 champion dropped the first set to the Russian teenager before she powered through the following two sets to grab a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory and hand Sharapova her second consecutive semifinal defeat in Melbourne. "We played a great match. It's been very intense physically, especially in the first set and at the end of the match," eighth-seeded Henin-Hardenne was quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "I am very happy with the way I played, very happy to be in the final again. It's a great atmosphere.” 23-year-old Henin-Hardenne takes on third-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo, who secured a place in the final after second-seeded Kim Clijsters retired from their semifinal clash with an ankle injury.
Amelie Mauresmo Mauresmo, who reached the final in 1999, had leveled the match after losing the first set, and was up a break in the third when Clijsters sprained her ankle and forced her Aussie Open campaign to an abrupt end. “A very strange way, of course, to finish a match," Mauresmo was quoted as saying by the WTA official website. "I just hope it's not too bad for her (Clijsters).” 26-year-old Mauresmo has not reached a Grand Slam final since she lost to Martina Hingis in Melbourne Park seven years ago. “It feels good. I mean, for all those years I've been working hard, adjusting a few things here and there to try to do my best. But I'm in the final right now. I don't want to stop there," said Mauresmo. Mauresmo has a 3-4 record against Henin-Hardenne with the Belgian prevailing in the last two meetings.
