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Safarova, Petrova send top seeds spinning out
While Czech Republic's Safarova stunned top seed Henin, Russia's Petrova edged home favourite Mauresmowhile to reach final of WTA Paris Indoor Open.
The Czech Republic's Lucie Safarova stunned top seed Justine Henin 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to reach the final of the 600,000-dollar WTA Paris Indoor Open.
In today's final, she will take on Russia's Nadia Petrova, the fourth seed, who edged home favourite Amelie Mauresmo 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7).
The unseeded 20-year-old Safarova continued her stunning run in Paris with a dogged and battling performance to come from behind in both sets against the Belgian world number two.
That win completed a third straight success against top 10 players in this tournament.
"I'm so happy to have won. It was a difficult match but I felt good on court and just tried to do as well as I could," said Safarova.
"If you had asked me before the tournament whether I expected to beat them and be in the final, then I would have said no. But I was hoping to."
Henin held a 5-2 lead in the first set and also had two set points but she could not convert on either and was eventually taken to a tie-break. Safarova held her nerve to snatch that 7-5 and take the ascendancy.
"I didn't feel too good today and felt more tired than yesterday and less at ease," said Henin.
"Even when I was winning I didn't feel like I was playing well. She took her chances and played her match."
Henin did not buckle, though, and broke in the fifth game of the second set before holding serve for a 4-2 lead.
However, fresh from confidence-boosting victories against fifth-seeded compatriot Niclole Vaidisova and Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the previous two rounds, Safarova upped her approach and Henin was left helpless.
