Headline PH: Henin wins in 1st French Open match since '07

PARIS – As always, Justine Henin punctuated her best shots with shouts of "Allez!" — French for "Come on!"

In this case, it also meant, "I'm back!"

Henin took a big step Tuesday in her return from retirement, beating Tsvetana Pironkova in the first round of the French Open 6-4, 6-3. The match was Henin's first at Roland Garros since 2007, when she won the tournament for the fourth time.

"I didn't know really what to expect and how I was going to deal with my emotions," the Belgian said. "As I walked in and I was into my match, I felt a lot of things were coming back. It was just fantastic to share this again with the crowd, as they gave me one more time great support. So it was very good to be back."

Henin rejoined the tour in January following a 20-month retirement, and while she's seeded only 22nd, she's considered one of the favorites for the title.

"She has all of the chances to win this tournament," said Pironkova, who had played — and lost to — Henin three times before. "She still plays great. I don't think she lost (anything) with that rest that she had. I think she is playing even better. She's faster, and her strokes are more secure."

Henin endured some ragged moments in the second set, when Pironkova won three consecutive games for a 3-2 lead. Henin swept 10 points in a row to regain control, and following another wobble serving at 4-3, she took the final six points.

"I didn't serve really good in that match, that's for sure," Henin said. "First round is never easy. So I'm just happy I came through."

Henin hit picturesque backhands, nifty drop shots and booming overhead slams — all staples in a repertoire that has helped her win seven Grand Slam titles. She also missed more than half of her first serves, however, and blew a handful of easy putaways.

"I've worked pretty hard in the last few months, but the way is still very long," she said. "I'm probably less consistent now than I was in terms of keeping the intensity all the time. That's what I'm working on at the moment."

Despite the inconsistent play, Henin extended her winning streak at Roland Garros to 22 consecutive matches and 37 consecutive sets. She hasn't lost at the French Open since 2004.

By STEVEN WINE,
AP Sports Writer

You might also like this:

World News: Posted May 25, 2010

16 Russian tourists killed in Turkey bus crash

More Categories

Henin wins in 1st French Open match since '07

No comments:

Post a Comment

Avid Readers

adbrite vertical

Feedjit