AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2006

Justine Henin

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Justine, please.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, I'm very happy about this win because I think I came back from a very bad situation. She was dominating the match, for sure. She was hitting the ball very hard. She was in confidence in the first set, and I was a little bit too far from my baseline and I wasn't aggressive enough. So it's great I could keep fighting, especially in the beginning of the second set. To take my serve in the first game of the second set was very important for me to give me a lot of confidence on my serve. And I just played every point hundred percent. So I'm very happy the way I fought today.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think she was, especially on the return, hitting the ball very hard. She was taking the ball very early. I was playing too much in her backhand. I wasn't make her move enough. Then I started to play much more down the line with my forehand and my backhand, try to just put one step in the court. That made a big difference in the second and the third.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, I was more confident for sure when I took my service game. I think that's always important. I didn't win any service game in the first set. I was a little bit frustrated by that. Then as soon as I won this first game in the second set, I was feeling much more comfortable on the court.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think big returns first. I think that both of us have returned pretty well. I'm very happy the way I put a lot of pressure on her serve. Then she started to do double-fault, and I did double-faults, too. But I think that we've been both of us very aggressive on the return.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, it's going to be a tough match, for sure. Semifinal in a Grand Slam, it's always very difficult. But what a motivation for me. Just the fact that I'm here in the semis, I think that's great. What I live right now is just amazing after such a long time off. So I'm very pleased, very happy. I try to enjoy that as most as I can. And then the semi, it's going to be another day, another match against someone who is a great fighter, and it's going to be a tough mission, but I really believe I can do it.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Before arriving in Sydney, I was telling to myself I was coming here to play a lot of matches. I was coming in Australia to get my confidence back, take the rhythm of the competition. But I'm surprising myself a little bit the way I could. As soon as I started in Sydney, I felt that I was feeling very good on the court. So I've been a little bit surprised. It's been very quick for me. Then when I arrive here in Melbourne with my victory in Sydney, I felt a little bit more the pressure because I won a few matches, that I had to play better here. But I think my main goal is to stay healthy and winning a lot of matches, and I'm very happy about that.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think that everything is very positive right now. Even if I have a lot of ambitions and I want to win this next match, for sure, that's why I'm playing tennis. But I think I can be happy the way I played since I arrive here in Australia.