One of Justine Henin's favorite moments at a Grand Slam comes
right before she walks onto center court for the final, when
the locker room is almost empty and totally quiet - a moment
of calm before the storm.
The seven-time Grand Slam winner has savored that moment 11
times in her career and will do so again when she meets No.
1-ranked Serena Williams at the Australian Open final.
Henin's stunning success comes only two tournaments into her
return from a 20-month retirement, a comeback that the
Belgian herself has called "extraordinary" and Williams
called an "amazing" story.
"It's more than a dream for me," Henin said Friday. "The
challenge of facing the No. 1 player in the world is
magnificent."
The day before the big match, Henin spoke about her plans for
dinner (Italian), her state of mind and the feeling of being
back in a Grand Slam final.
"It's marvelous," she said. "I love the end of a tournament
when nobody's in the hallway and the locker room is empty and
everything is calm."
Henin and Williams both agree that their centre-court
showdown will be as much a mental battle as a physical one.
"We both want it. But we'll just see who's playing better
tomorrow," Williams said after she and sister Venus won their
fourth Australian Open doubles title.
The top-ranked Williams and the former No. 1-ranked Henin
have a long and intense rivalry that has never included a
Grand Slam final.
They have played 13 times, including six Grand Slam showdowns
that went as far as only the semifinals. Serena holds a 7-6
edge in their overall matchups. In Grand Slams, Henin leads
4-2.
Henin has said she was inspired to return to tennis in part
by the comeback of fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters, who won the
US Open after taking off two years to get married and have a
baby.
The return of Henin and Clijsters has restored some life and
rivalries to the women's game, which has many promising
newcomers but suffered some lacklustre finals in their
absence.
"It's just been amazing," Serena said. "I mean, her and Kim,
such a great story. Justine hasn't been gone that long, but
it's still a good story."
The final offers another good story line of two champions
battling to be the best of their generation. Williams leads
with 11 Grand Slam singles trophies to Henin's seven.
Williams has won all four majors, proving her superiority on
all surfaces - clay, hard court and grass. Williams also
boasts more prize money from her wins, with $28.5 million
since turning pro in 1995 compared to Henin's $19.4 million.
The Belgian turned pro in 1999. But Henin has spent more time
at No. 1 - 117 weeks compared to Williams' 89 weeks - in a
shorter time span.
The two players have dramatically different styles -
Williams' game is about power and aggressiveness while the
petite Henin is an intense, elegant presence on the court
with a sublime backhand that John McEnroe has called one of
the best shots in the game.
But they describe each other in similar terms - as a fighter
with supreme physical abilities and the mental strength to
rally for the victory.
"She is a real champion," Henin said of Williams. "We're both
fighters. We want to win. And I think maybe we helped each
other to get better."
Asked to list Henin's strengths, Williams summed them up
briefly: "I think, it's a case of - what doesn't she do well.
"We bring out the best game in each other," said the
28-year-old Williams. "I think that we both just play our
hearts out. I think that's what creates a good rivalry."
Another factor going into the final is what Henin calls her
mental and physical "freshness." At the height of her career,
Henin stunned the tennis world by announcing in May 2008 that
she had lost her passion for the sport.
She became the first woman to walk away from the sport while
ranked No. 1. She wanted to escape her "tennis bubble" and
experience life.
Along the way found that she missed tennis and had some
unfinished business to tend to, namely Wimbledon, the only
Grand Slam she hasn't won.
In Melbourne, Henin is riding a wave of newfound
self-confidence that has grown with each match. She unveiled
a stronger serve and new aggressiveness at the net that have
combined with her explosive speed and sublime one-handed
backhand.
She has spoken about her return as if it were destined to
happen.
"I feel like it's my place to be here," Henin said after her
first-round win and repeatedly afterward.
If Williams wins, she will tie Billie Jean King for a career
total of 12 Grand Slam singles titles.
"It will be a defining match for both of us," Williams said.
"It definitely will be mental and [about] who wants the title
more and who's willing to go the extra step."
