Davenport v Henin-hardenne - Live!

Davenport 4* - 2 Henin-Hardenne Play’s being held up by tardy Aussies... doesn’t put Lindsay off her serve though: she couldn’t have wedged it any deeper into the corner and Henin-Hardenne is helpless. A double fault and then a long forehand helps the Belgian to spy a blinkering light somewhere at the end of the tunnel, and a superb backhand return that Davenport doesn’t even move for hands her two break points. And she takes the first! Things could be more interesting.

Davenport 4 - 1* Henin-Hardenne Gorgeous backhand from Henin-Hardenne, just as we were all wondering when she was going to start pushing Davenport into a trot. Still it’s the American dictating the play though, scattering groundstrokes from one spot, and this could well be set over.

Davenport 3* - 1 Henin-Hardenne Davenport is playing well, her serves are finding the lines, her groundstrokes, much as I prefer a bit of spin, are flying into all the right corners, and frustration is nagging at Henin-Hardenne’s play. Her usually delicate-but-powerful groundstrokes are being slung high, wide and anything but handsome - I was about to say, until she found the most delightful backhand cross-court lob. Doesn’t help her keep things level, mind.

Davenport 2 - 1* Henin-Hardenne Wonderful stuff for the first point, each groundstroke more elegant than the last until Davenport summons a humming forehand straight down the line. Another double fault from Henin-Hardenne presents Davenport with three break points...she looks menacingly over the net... and takes the second just how she likes it - without moving: another double fault.
I’m trying not to take the lack of emails personally, by the way.

Davenport 1* - 1 Henin-Hardenne Davenport isn’t having much joy on the first serve either but Henin-Hardenne fails to take advantage with a wild backhand. Luckily for her Davenport thwacks a simply backhand volley way out of court to see her to 30-30. After letting things slip with another sloppy forehand Henin takes it to deuce with a beauty of a forehand volley over the shoulder and cross court and too far for Davenport to scamper. It looked unlikely, but Henin-Hardenne’s broken straight back.

Davenport 1 - 0* Henin-Hardenne Henin-Hardenne gets us going with a long serve and Davenport duly wallops the weaker second serve to take the first point. The Belgian gets her moving around court to take the second and the third comes her way after a decent rally that she rounds off with a great cross-courter searching for the line. Double fault levels things up again, and she’s pushed to a second serve that Davenport gobbles up to take a break point. The record for the longest rally is in serious danger here: but it’s Davenport coming out on top despite that all-too obvious injury. Henin’ll have to improve her first serve to get anything here.

News Davenport is carrying a crocked left ankle, apparently, but Eurosport are still plumping (sorry, couldn’t resist) for her as favorite. If Henin-Hardenne is on song, I think it’ll be closer that they think, but if she’s not, we all know how average she can look. Davenport beat Henin-Hardenne five times between 1999 and 2002, but she hasn’t beaten her in five meetings since then. Nearly time!

A word of warning I’m having all manner of technical issues here, so I apologize in advance for any expletives you may happen upon. I know, I know, think of the children.

Morning And a very bloody early one at that. Maria Sharapova’s already through to the semis after a scrappy affair against Nadia Petrova, and whoever wins here gets to play her - not normally a good thing but she’s so off-color in Australia I’d say that’s a nice route to the final. I won’t lie, I’d quite like Justine Henin-Hardenne to win. I just like the cut of her jib. Lindsay Davenport is what my mother used to call a "clodhopper". But that probably means she’ll batter the Belgian in about 38 minutes, eh?