The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Henin wins Antwerp Diamond Games

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 18, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Henin wins Antwerp Diamond Games

Murray takes honours in Marseille; Moya to take on Almagro

— Photo: AP

DREAM COME TRUE: Belgium’s Justine Henin fulfilled a career-long dream when she won her first title at home.

ANTWERP: Justine Henin fulfilled a career-long dream as she won her first title at home in Belgium as the Diamond Games closed out a nine-year WTA run on Sunday.

The top seed dismantled Italian challenger Karin Knapp 6-3, 6-3 in 90 minutes. A full-house crowd in excess of 15,000 revelled in the success of their World No. 1 at an event which has been wiped from the women’s calendar from 2009 in a scheduling shake-up.

Henin, who lost a heartbreak Australian Open quarterfinals a month ago to Maria Sharapova while carrying a painful knee injury, had made it her mission to lift the home crown.

“It’s so great to win at home in Belgium,” said Henin. “That was really my goal this week and I’m so happy I was able to do it.

“I’ve had tough matches but came through. This is a very emotional moment for me.”

Straight-sets win

At Marseille, Britain’s Andy Murray won the ATP Open 13 tournament with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Mario Antic of Croatia.

Murray, seeded four and clad in his trademark Scottish Saltire cap, beat the unseeded Croatian, a former world No. 7 just back from a crippling illness which halted his career, in 1 hour, 44 minutes to add to his Doha 2008 victory.

Moya survives

Top-seeded Carlos Moya of Spain survived a late challenge on Saturday to defeat Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4) in the semifinals of the Brasil Open in Costa do Sauipe.

Moya next will face No. 2 seed Nicolas Almagro of Spain, who stormed past Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-1.

Nishikori stuns Querrey

Teen qualifier Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese player to reach an ATP final since 1992, beating third-seeded Sam Querrey 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(7) on Saturday in the International Tennis Championships at Delray Beach.

The results: At Marseille (ATP Open 13): Final: Andy Murray bt Mario Ancic 6-3, 6-4.

At Antwerp (WTA Proximus Diamond Games): Final: Justine Henin bt Karin Knapp 6-3, 6-3. Semifinals: Karin Knapp bt Li Na 6-4, 7-6(5).

At Delray Beach: (ATP Delray Beach International): Semifinals: James Blake bt Robbi Ginepri 6-4, 6-4; Kei Nishikori bt Sam Querrey 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(7).

At Costa do Sauipe (ATP Brasil Open): Semifinals: Carlos Moya bt Nicolas Lapentti 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5); Nicolas Almagro bt Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-1.

At Vina del Mar: (WTA Cachantun Cup): Semifinals: Flavia Pennetta bt Pauline Parmentier 6-2, 6-0; Klara Zakopalova bt Mariya Koryttseva 6-2, 7-5. — Agencies

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport