The Hindu : Henin guides Belgium to victory

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 30, 2002

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Sport - Tennis

Henin guides Belgium to victory

BRUSSELS APRIL 29. World No. 8 Justine Henin put Belgium on track for a repeat performance at the Fed Cup, beating Alicia Molik of Australia 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday to clinch the tie 3-1 and send her team into the World Group's quarterfinals.

In other matches, Austria eliminated 17-time winner, the United States 3-2; Slovakia nipped Switzerland 3-2 after winning the final doubles match; Croatia did the same to the Czech Republic; Italy shutout Sweden 5-0; Germany slipped by Russia 3-2; France downed Argentina 3-2; and Spain overcame a first-match loss to beat Hungary 4-1.

Henin's victory was enough for Belgium, the defending champion, to advance to the next round, despite the loss of Belgian No. 1 Kim Clijsters to injury.

After racing to a 4-1 lead in the second set, only a cloudburst delayed Henin's victory. She set up match point with a pinpoint forehand pass then lashed back Molik's serve with an unstoppable return to the baseline that clinched the tie for Belgium.

``The pressure was on me, it's true, but I like that sort of situation,'' Henin said. Clijsters' shoulder injury had briefly given the visitor hope. Australia's No. 1 Nicole Pratt won 6-2, 6-4 against Els Callens, the doubles specialist called in at the last moment to replace the world No. 3.

The doubles match was abandoned because of rain with Pratt and Rennae Stubbs of Australia leading Callens and Laurence Courtois 7-6 (7-2). Belgium will face Italy in the quarterfinals.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, Barbara Schwartz of Austria downed American Meghann Shaughnessy 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 9-7 in a marathon match to eliminate the United States 3-2.

``For us, when we came here, it was huge (U.S.), the No. 1 nation and such great players,'' Schwartz said. ``It's unbelievable for us to win here. I can't even find the right words.''

The Americans started the tie a match down after captain Billie Jean King kicked No. 1 player Jennifer Capriati off the team for breaking a team rule prohibiting her from practicing on her own.

In the second reverse singles match, American Monica Seles beat Evelyn Fauth 6-3, 6-3. In doubles, Lisa Raymond and Seles beat Fauth and Marion Maruska 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).

Austria snapped a seven-match losing streak to the United States in Fed Cup play, while the Americans were eliminated in the first round for the first time since 1997.

The United States, which won the Fed Cup in 1999 and 2000, withdrew from the competition last year citing security concerns after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Austria will host Croatia in the quarterfinals.

In Bol, Croatia, Jelena Kostanic and Iva Majoli of Croatia made quick work of Ivona Benesova and Eva Birnerova of the Czech Republic in the deciding doubles match, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just 56 minutes.

Majoli, the Croatian No. 1, lost both her singles matches this weekend. On Sunday, she fell to Klara Koukalova 6-4, 6-1. In the other reverse singles match, Kostanic topped Benesova 6-2, 7-5.

In Bratislava, Slovakia, Daniela Hantuchova and Janette Husarova bested Switzerland's Patty Schnyder and Myriam Casanova 6-0, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 in doubles to secure advancement to the second round.

Earlier, Schnyder defeated Hantuchova 6-3, 6-3 and Casanova downed Slovakia's Henrieta Nagyova 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Slovakia will face France in the quarterfinals.

In Almeria, Spain, former world No. 1 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario won two more matches as Spain advanced easily over Hungary.

Sanchez-Vicario beat Zsofia Gubasci 6-0, 6-2 in just 25 minutes, while team-mate Magui Serna rolled over Rita Kuti Kis 6-3, 6-1.

In the doubles match, Sanchez-Vicario and Virginia Ruano Pascual beat Gubasci and Anika Kapros 7-5, 6-2. On Saturday, Sanchez-Vicario beat Kuti Kis 6-4, 6-2. Spain will take on Germany in the quarterfinals.

In Dresden, Germany, the German doubles team of Barbara Rittner and Marlene Weingartner defeated Elena Dementieva and Elena Likhovtseva of Russia 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 to send the host into the quarterfinals.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nathalie Dechy clinched a 3-2 victory for France, beating Mariana Diaz-Oliva of Argentina 6-2, 6-3.

Earlier in the day, Amelie Mauresmo won her second match of the tie, beating Paola Suarez of Argentina 6-4, 6-3.

Argentina's Maria Emilia Salerni and Clarisa Fernandez took the late doubles match, beating Dechy and Emilie Loit 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

The Fed Cup quarterfinals are scheduled for July 20-21. The losing teams in the first round enter relegation play.

The results: At Brussels (Belgium): Belgium bt Australia 3-1(Justine Henin (Bel) bt Nicole Pratt (Aus) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0; Kim Clijsters (Bel) bt Alicia Molik (Aus) 6-0, 6-2; Nicole Pratt (Aus) bt Els Callens (Bel) 6-2, 6-4; Justine Henin (Bel) bt Alicia Molik (Aus) 6-2, 6-1. Nicole Pratt/Rennae Stubbs (Aus) vs Els Callens/Laurence Coutois (Bel) 7-6 (7-2), abandoned due to rain).

At Bratislava, Slovakia: Slovakia bt Switzerland 3-2 (Daniela Hantuchova (Slo) bt Myriam Casanova (Sui) 6-4, 7-5; Janette Husarova (Slo) bt Patty Schnyder (Sui) 7-6 (9-7), 5-7, 7-5; Myriam Casanova (Sui) bt Henrieta Nagyova (Slo) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1; Patty Schnyder (Sui) bt Daniela Hantuchova (Slo) 6-3, 6-3; Daniela Hantuchova/Janette Husarova (Slo) bt Patty Schnyder/Myriam Casanova (Sui) 6-0, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3).

At Milan, Italy: Italy bt Sweden 5-0 (Antonella Serra Zanetti (Ita) bt Asa Carlsson-Svensson (Swe) 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 10-8; Adriana Serra Zanetti (Ita) bt Sofia Arvidsson (Swe) 6-1, 6-1; Adriana Serra Zanetti (Ita) bt Asa Carlsson-Svensson (Swe) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); Roberta Vinci (Ita) bt Sofia Arvidsson (Swe) 6-3, 6-2. Roberta Vinci/Maria Elena Camerin (Ita) bt Sofia Arvidsson/Maria Wolfbrandt (Swe) 1-6, 6-0, 6-4).

At Dresden, Germany: Germany bt Russia 3-2 (Elena Dementieva (Rus) bt Martina Mueller (Ger) 6-4, 6-2; Barbara Rittner (Ger) bt Anastasia Myskina (Rus) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5; Barbara Rittner (Ger) bt Elena Dementieva (Rus) 6-3, 6-1; Anastasia Myskina (Rus) bt Martina Mueller (Ger) 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (4-7), 11-9; Barbara Rittner/Marlene Weingartner (Ger) bt Elena Dementieva/Elena Likhovtseva (Rus) 7-6 (7-1), 6-2).

At Bol, Croatia: Croatia bt Czech Republic 3-2 (Jelena Kostanic (Cro) bt Sandra Kleinova (Cze) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4; Ivona Benesova (Cze) bt Iva Majoli (Cro) 6-4, 6-1; Klara Koukalova (Cze) bt Iva Majoli (Cro) 6-4, 6-1; Jelena Kostanic (Cro) bt Ivona Benesova (Cze) 6-2, 7-5; Jelena Kostanic/Iva Majoli (Cro) bt Ivona Benesova/Eva Birnerova (Cze) 6-1, 6-2).

At Almeria, Spain: Spain bt Hungary 4-1(Zsofia Gubasci (Hun) bt Angeles Montolio (Spa) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Spa) bt Rita Kuti Kis (Hun) 6-4, 6-2; Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Spa) bt Zsofia Gubacsi (Hun) 6-0, 6-2; Magui Serna (Spa) bt Rita Kuti Kis (Hun) 6-3, 6-1; Virginia Ruano Pascual/Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Spa) bt Zsofia Gubasci/Aniko Kapros (Hun) 7-5, 6-2).

At Buenos Aires, Argentina: Argentina lost to France 2-3 (Amelie Mauresmo (Fra) bt Mariana Diaz-Oliva (Arg) 7-5, 6-2; Paola Suarez (Arg) bt Sandrine Testud (Fra) 7-5, 6-4; Amelie Mauresmo (Fra) bt Paola Suarez (Arg) 6-4, 6-3; Nathalie Dechy (Fra) bt Mariana Diaz-Oliva (Arg) 6-2, 6-3; Maria Emilia Salerni/Clarisa Fernandez (Arg) bt Nathalie Dechy/Emilie Loit (Fra) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2).

At Charlotte, United States: United States lost to Austria 2-3 (Evelyn Fauth (Aut) bt Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) forfeit. Barbara Schwartz (Aut) bt Monica Seles (U.S.) 7-6 (9-7), 6-2; Barbara Schwartz (Aus) bt Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 9-7; Monica Seles (U.S.) bt Evelyn Fauth (Aut) 6-3, 6-3; Lisa Raymond/Monica Seles (U.S.) bt Evelyn Fauth/Marion Maruska (Aut) 6-1, 7-6 (7-4). — AP

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