Justine Henin v Maria Sharapova - As It Happened

Preamble: So then, now it gets interesting. Jelena Jankovic certainly looked the business (albeit probably for the first time this tournament) as she thumped her way past Serena Williams in the wee small hours, so now it's time to find out who she'll be playing in the semi-finals. Justine Henin has won a moderately impressive 33 matches on the bounce since Marion Bartoli knocked her out of Wimbledon last year, but Maria Sharapova looks back to her big-hitting best after recovering from last year's shoulder-knack. They've lost something like 1 1/2 games between them so far this tournament. Should be a corker.

Head-to-head Henin has won six of the eight these have played so far, but they're rarely straightforward. Most recently, Henin needed all her steel to win a thrilling Madrid Masters final 5-7, 7-5, 6-3.

"I wonder what Sharapova's mother looks like," ponders our Eurosport commentator, in a way that sounds ever so slightly pervy.

First set: Henin 0-1 Sharapova* Sharapova gets things going just the way she'd want to with a belting serve that Henin can't control and an ace straight down the middle of the court to go 30-0 up. The next serve is a fault, but Henin pats her backhand into the net. Henin finally takes one point back, wellying a deep forehand to the baseline after a short rally, but Sharapova ties it up on the next, driving to the net before wrong-footing Henin with a deep volley.

First set: Henin* 0-2 Sharapova At 15-0 down Sharapova uses the first challenge of the match to overturn a Henin ace, which then turns into a double-fault instead. Suddenly Sharapova has Henin on the back foot, taming her serves without much bother and dominating the rallies. A glorious smash gives her the 15-40 lead, then Henin nets a routine backhand from the baseline to give her the game.

First set: Henin 0-3 Sharapova* It's easy to forget - what with the model looks and flimsy frocks - just how powerful Sharapova can be. She's really putting everything into her shots so far and it's working well - despite a sloppy forehand into the net at 40-0 up, Sharapova drops just the one point on the way to holding serve. Henin's won just three points so far.

First set: Henin* 1-3 Sharapova Aah, there's the world No1 we've been waiting for. Down 0-30, Henin finally gets her serve going, crushing the ball flat and down the line before attacking the net. The next four points all go Henin's way, and finally she's got a game on the board.

First set: Henin 1-4 Sharapova* "With Paula Radcliffe running marathons, isn't it about time that the women played five sets at grand slams," asks Gary Naylor, dredging up a chestnut so old it remembers the days when BBC sit-coms were funny. "We'd get better matches in the last eight and we'd see just how weak some of the non-top eight players really are." Well, we all know I agree Gary - I'd love to watch five sets of these two going at it - but I don't think it's going to happen any time soon. Sharapova holds to 15.

First set: Henin* 2-4 Sharapova Ju-ju is unhappy about some noises from the crowd - who have begun aping the players' grunting noises, but she should be more concerned about the lack of conviction in her ground strokes from the baseline. Too many are barely clearing the service box and Sharapova tears in to dispatch one such example to the far corner with a vicious two-handed backhand to bring up 30-30. Henin takes the next point, but then double faults to make it deuce. Sharapova seizes the first advantage with another backhand, but can only get the edge of her frame to Henin's next serve, so the game returns to deuce. Henin then finally converts a game point of her own at the third attempt.

First set: Henin 2-5 Sharapova* No such trouble for Sharapova holding her serve - she drops just the one point, as Henin continues to struggle with those booming serves.

First set: Henin* 3-5 Sharapova Henin is smart enough to know something needs changing, so she does just that on the first point, adding slice to her backhands to take the pace out of the game and lure an over-eager Sharapova into a mistake. Henin moves 30-0 up, but a double-fault lets Sharapova back in and on the next point the Russian delivers yet another baseline winner. Sharapova once again pulls out a successful challenge after appearing to strike a forehand long at 30-30, but Henin takes the replayed point anyway, before sealing the game with a deft backhand volley after Sharapova's forehand clipped a net cord and forced her to attack the net.

First set: Henin 4-5 Sharapova* Well, well, well - after looking totally dominant through her first four service games, never dropping more than a single point in each, Sharapova finally has a little wobble. First Sharapova slams a backhand into the net to make it 30-40, and Henin looked to be in control of the rally on break point before striking a bizarre off-target forehand wide meekly into the tramlines. No matter - after replying to a slightly overhit Sharapova dropshot with an impeccably weighted one of her own (though why Sharapova didn't start moving up the court sooner is anyone's guess), Henin sees Sharapova - trying a bit too hard to make every shot a winner - put another backhand into the middle of the net.

First set: Henin* 4-6 Sharapova That last game ended with an "Allez!" but this one begins with a "Come on!" as Sharapova quickly goes 0-30 up when Henin nets a backhand of her own. Henin recovers to 30-30, but Sharapova earns a break point, drawing Henin to the net with a dropshot before ending a thrilling rally with a passing shot down the right. She overhits a forehand on the next point though, and we're at deuce. Henin takes the first advantage, but Sharapova recovers to take the advantage three times after a series of incredible rallies, and finally takes the set when Henin can't quite get enough on the ball as she lunges for a backhand while charging the net. Glorious tennis.

Second set: Sharapova* leads Henin 6-4, 1-0 "This is better than watching it on telly," lies Alistair Ogilvie. "Never volunteer for table tennis though, unless you want RSI." I'll keep that in mind, Alistair. Relieved of the pressure of serving for a set, Sharapova is back to her best on service and holds to 15.

Second set: Sharapova leads Henin* 6-4, 2-0 Me, oh my, there's some serious grunting going on out there now - especially from Sharapova. Then again, whatever works - and she soon has break point after an uncharacteristically lazy forehand from Henin lands between the tramlines. Ju-Ju makes her work much harder for it on the next point - a 20-odd shot rally only coming to an end when Sharapova responds to Henin's attempted forehand winner by simply flicking a perfect two-handed backhand down the line for the game. Absolutely superlative shot.

Second set: Sharapova* leads Henin 6-4, 3-0 I'd say this one could be over quickly now, but you never want to count Henin out. Sharapova just looks so composed at the moment, though - she's been going for the jugular with sheer force from the outset, and - other than that brief wobble at the end of the last set - has been in control from pretty much the first point. Once again it's a service game to 15, and Henin is beginning to look a little frustrated.

Second set: Sharapova leads Henin* 6-4, 4-0 That might just be that - Henin dug deep into her box of tricks in that game - changing up her shorts, dragging her opponent across the court, but Sharapova's power just seems to override everything right now, as she assaults the net to power a forehand winner across Henin's face and into the far corner of the court. Henin gifts her a break point with an unforced error, manages to get back to deuce, but then double faults to restore the advantage. Sharapova won't be denied again, finding yet another clean winner off her back foot.

Second set: Sharapova* leads Henin 6-4, 5-0 Henin gets the chance to break straight back after dispatching a Sharapova serve for a rare winner of her own and then seeing Sharapova net on the next point as she moves 30-40 up. Sharapova rescues that point, but Henin gets another shot after Sharapova flicks a wristy backhand long on deuce. Once again, though Sharapova digs out an unreturnable serve, and two points later she has the game. That's her sixth in a row.

Second set: Sharapova* beats Henin 6-4, 6-0 Henin tries not to give up the ghost, willing her way through a grueling rally before putting away a perfect smash to go 15-0 up. But Sharapova is relentless today, full of power, grace and buoyed by the self-confidence she has gained over the last 15 games. Three more points, three more rallies, and though Henin forces her to find winners on all but the last, that is exactly what she does. That really was as perfect a performance as you will ever see against an opponent of Henin's caliber. It'll be Sharapova against Jankovic in the semi-finals, and right now that looks like quite the prospect. Thanks for all your emails.