Clijsters, Henin advance to WTA Toronto final
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

TORONTO (Canada): Seventh-seeded Belgian Kim Clijsters eased past Russian Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 6-1 here to reach her second WTA Tour final in as many weeks, where compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne awaits.

“I was starting to feel better and better the longer it went,” said Clijsters, who is aiming for her third tournament win in four events. “This is my first final in Toronto, and I am really happy to be in it.”

Belgian fourth seed Henin-Hardenne booked a spot opposite Clijsters in the final by ousting French second seed Amelie Mauresmo 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 in the night semi-final, taking a 4-3 lead in the career rivalry of the former number ones.

In last year’s Olympics final, Henin-Hardenne defeated Mauresmo in straight sets to claim the gold medal.

After Henin-Hardenne took the first set, Mauresmo went on the attack.

She leveled the match at one set each, then broke in the first game of the third set.

But Henin-Hardenne broke right back and relentlessly went on to wrap up the match.

“I just kept fighting and tried to stay in the match,” Henin-Hardenne said. “Then I found my game. I am happy to be back in the finals here.”

Henin-Hardenne admitted she couldn’t account for all the twists and turns the match took.

“It was pretty strange,” she said. “Even when she came back in the first set, I think I’ve been very consistent, won a lot of points with the forehand. I was up two-love in the second and lost a little bit of energy and aggressivity. She took all the opportunities. She was serving much better, came to the net much more often.

“When she broke me first game of the third set, I was a little bit scared at that point that it could be a quick third set. But it turned over.”

Mauresmo said: “In that second set, I was feeling that she was going down physically and that I was maybe going to be able to make the difference physically in that third set.

“I guess that was the contrary that happened. You know, she came back pretty strong, really able to put, again, the pressure on me on each point. And then I felt, you know, I was a little bit down in that third set physically.”

Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne have a long rivalry, but haven’t met for more than a year as each has battled health problems.

“It’s going to be, I think, our first match since final of the

Australian Open 2004,” Henin-Hardenne said. “So it’s a long time ago. I think it’s very good for both of us. I hope we can play good tennis and give something good to the crowd.” Clijsters missed much of last season with a left wrist injury but has won a WTA Tour-best five titles this year and hopes to add another at this 1.3 million-dollar tuneup for the US Open.

“I think she’s a really tough person,” Myskina said. “She came back from this big injury and still winning almost every tournament. It’s great for her, and I am really happy for her, and I think she’s going to play really well at the US Open.” French Open champion who had won 13 of her previous 15 matches, slipped to 3-7 lifetime against Clijsters.

American Lindsay Davenport, the current world number one, was not entered here.

Russian Maria Sharapova, the top seed, pulled out of the event before it began after aggravating a right pectoral strain last week in Carson, California.●