|
 |
 | | | You are in: Special Events: 2001: Wimbledon 2001 |
|
| |  Thursday, 5 July, 2001, 14:07 GMT 15:07 UK Henin ends Capriati dream Henin celebrates her semi-final victory Justine Henin (Bel) beat Jennifer Capriati (US) 2-6 6-4 6-2 Belgian teenager Justine Henin killed off Jennifer Capriati's Grand Slam hopes with a shock Wimbledon semi-final win. The 19-year-old, who lost the first set in just 21 minutes, defied painful blisters on her feet to fight back with a variety of stunning shots. Fourth seed Capriati, winner of the Australian and French Opens, had looked destined to make her first Wimbledon final after taking the opening set 6-2. But Henin dramatically recovered to take the next two sets and reach her first Grand Slam final.
Delighted Henin raised her arms aloft and saluted the crowd after being congratulated by Capriati. Afterwards, the winner said it was "a magic day," although she admitted her foot had caused problems. "I had a big blister and it was difficult for me to move on court," said Henin. The game was transformed after eighth seed Henin took an injury time-out early in the second set for treatment to blisters on her right foot.
She broke her opponent's serve in the fifth game of the second set. Capriati immediately levelled before Henin repeated the trick to go 4-3 ahead. With confidence growing, Henin held her nerve and serve to claim the second set 6-4. The teenager claimed two breaks of serve in the deciding set, before rain saw play delayed with the youngster 4-1 ahead. After the break, Henin served well to clinch a famous Centre Court triumph.
Of the rain delay, Henin said: "I was a little bit afraid because she (Capriati) had time to think and I wondered what she would do." In Saturday's final, she will meet the winner of Thursday's following semi-final between Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport. Capriati has already won the Australian and French Opens, and Wimbledon is the third leg of the Grand Slam, which culminates in the US Open. She was philosophical in defeat. "I'm just pretty happy with the way the year's gone so far. I mean, it's hard to win one Grand Slam," said Capriati. Henin has always boasted a good backhand, said Capriati, but "today it wasn't only her backhand, it was everything." | |
See also:  05 Jul 01 | Photo Galleries Top Wimbledon 2001 stories now: Links to more Wimbledon 2001 stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|  | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|  E-mail this story to a friend |
| |
| Links to more Wimbledon 2001 stories |
| | | ||
 | ||||
 | | Back to top
| ||
| ------------------------------------------------------------ BBC News >> | BBC Weather >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy |
