Filderstadt (Germany), Oct 08: Justine Henin-Hardenne beat Spanish veteran Conchita Martinez, 6-0 7-6 (7/1) at the Porsche Grand Prix, where the Belgian is closing in on the no. 1 ranking.
The US and French Open champion let a 5-2 second set lead slip away, then played a near flawless tiebreaker capped by blasting a return deep in the corner on match point at the US$565,000 event yesterday.
Martinez, ranked 14th, was an unusually tough first round match, but eight of the world's top 10 are entered and almost all of the top 20 except the Williams' sisters, both injured.
Henin-Hardenne could lift the top ranking if she reaches the final and clijsters' doesn't or if she beats her fellow Belgian in the final.
"It's on my mind to be no. 1, it's a goal, but the most important thing is to focus on the court - it's a tough tournament," Henin-Hardenne said.



The 31-year-old Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon champion, has put together a string of good results this year including the Indian Wells semifinals, but could not match Henin's speed or power in the 73 minute match.



But after the Belgian raced through the first set in just 19 minutes, hitting winners all over the court, Martinez began to find the corners with her shots.



"It was a nearly perfect first set, it was unbelievable, one of the best sets of my career," Henin-Hardenne said. "But Conchita is experienced, she knows how to turn around a match. It's good to have a real test like this in the first round."


Bureau Report