E-Paper
Justine upsets Davenport to reach semis
The Belgian eighth seed prevailed in a fighting three-setter match against the top seed American.
Justine Henin-Hardenne came from behind to upset top seed Lindsay Davenport and join Maria Sharapova and David Nalbandian in the Australian Open semi-finals on Tuesday.
The Belgian eighth seed struggled in the opening set but found her feet in the second to claw back and never looked like losing in the third, fighting to a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory in just under two hours.
It means the imposing American will lose her world number one ranking when revised placings are released Monday and hands Henin-Hardenne her sixth successive win over the 2000 Australian champion.
The 23-year-old, coming back from injury, will now face Sharapova for a place in the final after the Russian fourth seed worked hard to beat compatriot Nadia Petrova 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.
"She put me under pressure in the first set, I wasn't feeling very comfortable but I kept fighting and I came through," said Henin-Hardenne, who has now won 19 consecutive matches in Australia.
"It's pretty emotional at the end of any match, particularly when you have made a semi-final of a Grand Slam," she added.
Davenport, a triple Grand Slam winner, has now gone 20 majors stretching back six years without lifting a trophy and was upset that she threw away the match.
"I felt like I started well, I was being consistent and was in control. There were a couple of quick games in the second where I gave points away and it gave her confidence. I slightly got away from my game plan," she said.
"I've worked really hard and to play well then slowly play worse as the match goes on is a bad feeling."
She was frustrated by an ankle injury in her earlier matches but refused to blame it for her defeat, insisting it didn't bother her Tuesday.
Sharapova, 18, waltzed into her second straight semi-final here but was made to sweat in the first set by Petrova.
"It was very difficult, I've played Nadia in the last two Grand Slams in the quarter-finals as well and we've had such tough matches and I've been able to pull through so I'm very happy," said Sharapova.
The 2004 Wimbledon champion has never gone beyond the semis here and knows she needs to lift her game to another level if she is to get there.
"I'll have to step it up that's for sure but I'm confident I can," she said.
"I'm moving a lot better. I feel like the biggest weapon of mine is just my toughness and I know that over any girl, until the end, I'm going to be a tough opponent."
The Russian number one is becoming a Grand Slam bogeyman for Petrova, beating her at the same stage in the last two majors - the US Open and Wimbledon last year.
