Henin Survives Scare at Dubai Tennis Championships

Dubai, UAE, February 21st, 2007: Defending champion Justine Henin survived a scare before reaching the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Wednesday.

The top-seeded Belgian took nearly two and a half hours to subdue 16-year old Austrian qualifier Tamira Paszek, winning 4-6 7-5 6-1.

Henin, playing in only her second tournament of the year, struggled to find her rhythm against a persistent opponent who kept the ball in play and waited for an error.

Henin faced a crisis at 5-5 in the second set when Paszek held a break point that would have left her serving for the match. But she netted a forehand, and Henin took advantage of her reprieve and broke in the next game to level at one set all.

Henin still had to hold off a break point as the final set got underway, but she then broke Paszek to love to lead 2-0, and another break at 4-1 left her serving for victory.

“I was pretty close to losing that match,” said Henin. “She played very well and I wasn’t very comfortable on the court and was far away from my best level.

“I just kept a good attitude and that was the key for me today. She tried to take her chance and did it very well, and she pushed me to my limits. But it was a good one to start. I probably need this kind of match right now and I'm very happy that I won this one and have another chance tomorrow.”

Martina Hingis was also pushed to three sets by Anabel Medina Garrigues, but the number four seed came through 5-7 6-3 6-3 in a match that finished at 1.30am. Second seed Amelie Mauresmo had an easier time in defeating Vera Dushevina 6-2 6-2, third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova held off a second set challenge to beat Meghann Shaughnessy 6-1 7-6(4), and fifth seed Jelena Jankovic eased by Mara Santangelo 6-3 7-5.

Both sixth seed Patty Schnyder and eighth seed Daniela Hantuchova were kept on court for over two hours. Schnyder needed five match points to beat Alicia Molik 4-6 6-2 6-4, and Hantuchova was taken to a third set tiebreak before overcoming Maria Kirilenko 2-6 6-4 7-6(4).

The Dubai Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and takes place under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Play in the WTA Tour event takes place at the Dubai Tennis Stadium from 19th to 24th February, and continues from 26th February to 3rd March with the ATP event featuring Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Marcos Baghdatis.

For further information: John Rynehart, Promoseven Sports Marketing,
(T) +9714 3210008; (M) +971 50 55 96795; john.rynehart@promoseven.com