November 14, 2006	Tuesday	Shawwal 21, 1427

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MADRID, Nov 13: Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne claimed the first WTA Championships of her career when she beat Amelie Mauresmo 6-4 6-3 in an absorbing exhibition of high-quality tennis in Sunday's final.

Henin-Hardenne, who will succeed Mauresmo as world number one when the final rankings of the year are released on Monday, played some immaculate tennis as she closed out the defending champion in straight sets in a fitting end to the season.

The victory gave the three-times Roland Garros champion some revenge for her losses to the Frenchwoman in the finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.

Henin-Hardenne, who reached the final of all four grand slam tournaments this season, is the first player since Martina Hingis in 2000 to win the Championships and end the year as number one.

“It couldn't have been better, especially as it was doubtful as to whether I would even take part this year,” said an ecstatic Henin-Hardenne, who came back at the start of the week after a two-month lay-off following a calf injury in the Fed Cup final in September.

Just as she did in her semi-final victory over Maria Sharapova, the Belgian made an aggressive start, taking the game to Mauresmo from the off and manufacturing a succession of break points as she worked her opponent around the court.

Mauresmo stood firm on her first two service games, but relented in the third when Henin-Hardenne earned herself three break opportunities and cracked the Frenchwoman's serve with a wonderful back-hand pass.

The Wimbledon and Australian Open champion dug deep to use her superior power to break back and level the set at 4-4, but the Belgian used her classy backhand to snap the Mauresmo serve once again.

Henin-Hardenne then played a flawless service game to take the first set 6-4.

She maintained the momentum at the start of the second set, breaking serve in the first and fifth game, but on each occasion she was pegged back by Mauresmo.

The two players traded blows in a series of intense rallies in the middle of the set as they searched for a breakthrough and it was Henin-Hardenne who earned another break to go 4-3 up.

She held serve and then broke the Mauresmo serve for the sixth time in the match to close out a thoroughly deserved victory.

Result from women's singles : 3-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) beat 1-Amelie Mauresmo (France) 6-4 6-3.—Agencies