Henin seeking to make history
This was a quarterfinal match that many considered worthy to be the women's singles final. That is, of course, before Serena showed nothing. With the win, Henin improved her record against Serena to 4-1 on clay. Serena still leads their career series, 6-4.

Last year Henin was in the finals of all the majors. Clay is certainly her preferred surface, but she can play on all surfaces, having won the U.S. Open in 2003 and the Australian Open in 2004. She's never won Wimbledon, but has made the grass final twice, including last year when she lost to Amelie Mauresmo.

Henin did not play this year's Australian Open because she was going through a divorce. She turned 25 on June 1, and is playing Roland Garros for the eighth time. She was the tournament winner in 2003, 2005 and 2006, and a semifinalist in 2001.

Her record in Paris is an impressive 29-4, and she is looking to become the first player since Monica Seles, the tournament winner from 1990-1992, to win three consecutive titles. If the Belgian gets her fourth Paris title, she will match Helen Wills Moody's four French Open championships in the 1920s and 1930s.

Henin's prize to claim
Henin next will play fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic, who defeated sixth-seeded Nicole Vaidisova 6-3, 7-5 in another quarterfinal. Henin should win. Jankovic is very quick, but Henin has a wider range of shots. And after beating Serena, Henin is as confident as ever on clay, where she has won 17-straight matches.

In the other semifinal, seventh-seeded Ana Ivanovic, who had her best career victory defeating fourth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 in the quarterfinals will play second-seeded Maria Sharapova, who defeated ninth-seeded Anna Chakvetadze 6-3, 6-4 in an all-Russian battle.

I like the way Ivanovic has been playing, particularly the way she has been going to the net. With the problems Sharapova has been having with her shoulder, my pick would be Ivanovic. That said still fresh in my memory is the tremendous heart Sharapova displayed in her comeback win against Patty Schnyder in the fourth round. Counting out Sharapova -- even with an ailing wing -- would not be wise.

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