MELBOURNE, Jan 28: France’s Amelie Mauresmo won the Australian Open to snare her first Grand Slam title on Saturday, but it came in anti-climactic fashion when Justine Henin-Hardenne retired sick.
The victory, which came when the scores were 6-1, 2-0 in Mauresmo’s favour, makes up for the world number three’s devastating loss in the 1999 final, when she was thrashed by Martina Hingis.
The third seed was totally dominating an out-of-sorts Henin-Hardenne before the four-time Grand Slam winner pulled out 52 minutes into what had been one of the most lopsided finals in the tournament’s recent history.
She acknowledged it was a bizarre way to win but was simply overjoyed to secure the career breakthrough, which overshadows the label of Grand Slam choker that has haunted her since she loss in 1999 as a nervous teenager.
“I am just so happy now, even though the conditions are pretty strange to end this tournament but I think I was really dominating my game today, very in control and I didn’t let the emotions in this time,” she said.
French Open champion Henin-Hardenne, seeded eight, called for a trainer when the score was 2-0 in the second set, holding her hand to her head.
The 2004 Australian Open champion tried to continue but told the umpire she could not go on and slumped into a seat, a towel draped across her head to hide her tears.
“I had no legs today, I could not move,” Henin-Hardenne told reporters after the loss, saying she hardly slept the previous night because of intense stomach pain.
“I knew at the beginning of the match I could not win.”
Mauresmo’s relief was evident after the match, with the 26-year-old letting out a huge sigh of satisfaction and revealing she would celebrate with a bottle of 1937 vintage wine she had been saving for her first Grand Slam win.
After being denied the esctasy of claiming a Grand Slam on match point, she was asked if Henin-Hardenne should have found a way to finish and replied: “I was ready to die on the court today.”
Mauresmo had never benefitted from a Grand Slam retirement before this tournament but received three at Melbourne Park.
Injured second seed Kim Clijsters also failed to finish their semifinal and Michaella Krajicek pulled out suffering heat exhaustion in the third round.
Mauresmo, out to prove she had finally mastered her brittle temperament, drew first blood in the match by breaking Henin-Hardenne in the Belgian’s first service game, surprising her opponent with a looping high shot on break point.
Henin-Hardenne looked uncharactistically nervous as she racked up seven unforced errors to Mauresmo’s one in the opening three games.
The Belgian tried desperately to reduce Mauresmo’s lead as coach Carlos Rodriguez thumped his fist to his heart in the stands but the Frenchwoman stood firm and took the set to 5-0.
Henin-Hardenne then finally put herself on the lopsided scoreboard to take her only game of the match before Mauresmo served out the set at 6-1.
The one-way traffic continued in the second set when Mauresmo broke Henin-Hardenne in the opening game.
The diminutive Belgian’s terrier-like ability surfaced briefly as she won a 32-shot rally in the second but the effort cost her dear and she called out a trainer at the end of the game. She went back onto court but decided not to continue after a few shots.
Results
Women’s singles (final): Amelie Mauresmo (FRA x3) bt Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL x8) 6-1, 2-0 ret.
Men’s doubles (final): Bob Bryan (USA)/Mike Bryan (USA x1) bt Martin Damm (CZE)/Leander Paes (IND x7) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.—Agencies
