Henin-Hardenne hurting but still wins
Back injury plagues tourney favorite; Sharapova also wins
 | Justine Henin-Hardenne required treatment for a back injury that bothered her serve. |
Philippe Wojazer / Reuters |
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PARIS - Justine Henin-Hardenne’s latest ailment failed to slow her down at the French Open on Thursday.
The tournament favorite and 2003 champion required treatment for a back injury that bothered her serve, yet she still advanced to the third round by beating Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-1, 6-4.
After taking a 5-0 lead, Henin-Hardenne requested treatment during the changeover and grimaced as she stretched her back with help from a trainer. Henin-Hardenne said the previously undisclosed injury involves a nerve, dates back at least six weeks and isn’t serious.
“I’m going to be fine for the next few days,” she said. “I just wanted to be sure it wasn’t going to be more serious. That’s why I asked for the trainer. It was bothering me only on my serve.”
Henin-Hardenne hit eight double faults and has 17 in two matches. She made only 45 percent of her first serves and was broken three times in the second set.
The injury is the latest in a series of ailments for Henin-Hardenne, who returned in March from a seven-month layoff due to a blood virus and knee injury. Despite rust, back pain and concerns about her stamina, she’s 22-1 since returning and has won 19 consecutive matches, all on clay.
Two tournaments this month came despite the back injury.
“It’s a pain that I know,” she said. “In the evening it hurts when I have to sit down or drive. This is something I’ve had to live with for a few weeks. At some point I’ll have to take a few days’ rest.”
Henin-Hardenne’s lone loss this year was at Key Biscayne to Maria Sharapova, a potential opponent in the quarterfinals.
Sharapova, seeded second, committed just 13 unforced errors Thursday and beat 18-year-old Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai 6-3, 6-2.
“She had nothing to lose, and she was just going for her shots,” Sharapova said. “I finally started feeling a good rhythm out there and began playing better.”
Third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France defeated 15-year-old compatriot Alize Cornet 6-0, 6-2 before a capacity crowd on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
“When it gets filled and people start clapping, it’s very impressive,” Cornet said. “But what impressed me the most was Amelie.”
U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, seeded sixth, swept Sofia Arvidsson 6-3, 6-4.
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