Lindsay Davenport struggled through tendinitis in her right ankle to win a tense contest against Justine Henin in the semi-finals of the Swisscom Challenge.

The defending champion overcame the Belgian 7-6 7-6 for a place in the final against Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, who earlier beat Spain's Conchita Martinez.

Davenport prevailed in a baseline battle, winning the first tiebreak for the loss of just two points before edging the second 7-5.

But Henin afterwards expressed her disappointment at what she perceived as gamesmanship by her American opponent, who twice called for the trainer.

"She was taking it too far," said Henin. "I was injured, too, with a sore shoulder, but I didn't make a song and dance of it.

"She asked for the physio a second time at 4-1. She was almost crying and I thought for sure she was going to retire.

"It was partly tactics - and it flustered me. At 6-5, she was making one winning shot after the other. If you're injured as badly as she was making out, you can't do that."

But Davenport refuted Henin's suggestion that she had used the injury to her advantage and suggested the Belgian's tactics were at fault.

"I wasn't playing it up," Davenport said.

"I just tried to hit winners and she obviously handed me a lot of points - she didn't hit any drop shots or angles. She just hit the ball back to the center.

"There's no question she should be disappointed. You have to learn to play within yourself. I don't know why but she wasn't able to handle it today."