Henin beats Kuznetsova to reach Dubai final

DUBAI, Feb 23 (Reuters) Justine Henin overcame third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova 1-6 6-4 6-0 to reach the Dubai Open final today, boosting her record against the Russian to 13 wins in 14 meetings.

Henin, who won the tournament in 2003, 2004 and 2006, has never been defeated at the event and now has 15 consecutive wins in Dubai.

Top seed Henin made a dreadful start, nervously dropping the first seven points and then conceding her serve to give Kuznetsova a 2-0 lead. The Russian was quick to take advantage, attacked well, and then broke again to lead 5-1 when the Belgian hit two consecutive double-faults.

Henin played a little more positively in the second set, breaking to lead 3-1. But a forced forehand error allowed Kuznetsova to break back in the seventh game, and Henin's unbeaten record in Dubai looked to be in danger.

In a tense finale to the set, Kuznetsova failed to convert a game point for 5-5, and Henin eventually levelled the match with her fourth set point, hitting a winner off a second serve.

Henin then looked far sharper in the final set, hitting a succession of winners while forcing a tiring Kuznetsova's into errors.

''I was a little bit nervous,'' Henin told reporters. ''I knew she had a lot of motivation and I could feel that she was really on the court to give me a hard time.

''She was hitting the ball very hard, and she was in the court and I was too far from my baseline. Then slowly, in the second set, things were changing and that allowed me to come back into the match.

''I was leading 4-1 and she came back to 4-4, but I had a better attitude at that point and I just kept fighting. From 4-4 to the end of the match it was my best tennis, no more mistakes, I just went for the winners, good choices, and I'm happy the way the match ended for sure.'' Kuznetsova said she had tired towards the end.

''It was strange,'' said Kuznetsova. ''I started very well and ended up bad, and she was the opposite.

''She got so much into it and played unbelievable, and me, I got worse. I didn't have so much attention to the ball and got a little bit tired mentally.'' Second seed Amelie Mauresmo of France and fifth-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic were playing their semi-final later on Friday.

REUTERS PM RK1905