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ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS

August 17, 2007

Justine Henin

TORONTO, ONTARIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Justine, please.

Q. You've said it before, and I think you'll say it again - that you take each point by point, and game by game. I believe that the game changed during the sixth game, the first set, when you were down 4-1. And there was one rally where you had with Petrova and it was just back and forth. And it just didn't seem like you could get the balls. And you kept going for them and you got them, And the crowd kind of was really happy?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah.

Q. Did you notice at that point when you surprised everybody and you surprised even yourself, is that where the game changed for you?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, I don't know. I don't know if the match turned completely during that point, but I remember that point. It was a really important one. I was at 1-4 and it was the first point of the game. And I was coming back slowly but surely in the match.
But I think it was a little bit easier for her. She's taller than me. And with the wind it was probably easier at the beginning of the match to find a good rhythm for her. And I really needed a few games to get into the match. But I'm very happy because I could stay calm and patient and just try to do my job the best I could in these conditions. But I can tell you it was terrible out there.

Q. And you do stay calm and that is the difference between certain players. You saw Petrova getting frustrated. Is there any way you train mentally not only physically for this? Do you go through a specific process to train mentally?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, you have to deal with any kind of situation and accept that you don't play your best tennis because of a lot of things. Especially the wind, I mean, it's nothing you can do. It's for both players. And I just try to stay very positive in my head.
And I think that finally I could play very good tennis in the second set because I remained very focused, very positive on every point. I played a very good tiebreak. I could stay on my baseline, be much more in the court than I was in the beginning of the match. So I worked hard and then finally it paid off today.

Q. Were those some of the trickiest conditions you've ever played in?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, I think so. In Eastbourne also. It's been terrible this year and last year. But here the wind turns all the time and the ball is moving all the time. So I can tell you, it's hard, it's hard to play good tennis. Mentally and physically, it's very hard because you need a lot of reactions. And especially mentally, you need to be aware all the time, because the ball is moving a lot. And it's very tough, very, very tough.

Q. Were you surprised at the beginning of the match? Because she was - I mean, we saw that you were affected with the wind but she was just playing so great, a lot of winners. It seemed like the wind was only on one part of the court?
JUSTINE HENIN: That is the feeling I had. But no, it was for both. She had nothing to lose, and she was really in confidence. She's a really good player. She gave me a lot of trouble in the past. And I think, like I said, a little bit easier for her in these kind of conditions, especially at the beginning of the match.
So I wasn't really surprised, you know, because I know how well she can play, and she proved it again today.

Q. Have you ever played Yan Zi?
JUSTINE HENIN: Never.

Q. What do you think about going up against such an unknown, such a low seed?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, it's the only thing I know is she's in great confidence this week, if not, she wouldn't be in the semis. The ranking doesn't mean anything now. We're two girls who want the same thing, going to the finals.
So it's a match I have to take very, very seriously as I do all the time, because I have so much respect for everyone. So I always say it's 50-50 when we walk on the court. And I hope the conditions are going to be a little bit better so we can show better tennis.

Q. Have you watched her play at all before at this tournament?
JUSTINE HENIN: No.

Q. When you see Petrova getting frustrated there are a lot of times she was doing that aloud. Everyone does that. Does that affect you at all? She's frustrated, now I can play on her weakness, or do you just let that go?
JUSTINE HENIN: No, I'm very focused at myself. But it's true I look sometimes at the attitude of the other player to see what kind of spirit she is at that time of the match. But I just, that's a good sign. If she's getting frustrated, it's a good point for me.
But no, I just try to keep the same attitude when I win, when I lose. It's not easy all the time, but it's important every shot with the opponent that you're feeling down a little bit. And I just try to take advantage on that a little bit, but doesn't change a lot of things.

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