Australian Open:Henin-Hardenne upsets Davenport, four top singles appear
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-01-25 08:50

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) - Justine Henin-Hardenne came from behind to upset top seed Lindsay Davenport and join Maria Sharapova, David Nalbandian and the unfancied Marcos Baghdatis in the Australian Open semi-finals.

Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium reacts after defeating Lindsay Davenport of the U.S. to reach semis at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 24, 2006. [Reuters]

Lindsay Davenport of the U.S. reacts during her match against Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium who knocked her out of semis at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 24, 2006. [Reuters]

The Belgian eighth seed struggled in the opening set but found her feet in the second to claw back and never looked like losing in the third, fighting to a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory in just under two hours.

It means the imposing American will lose her world number one ranking when revised placings are released Monday and hands Henin-Hardenne her sixth successive win over the 2000 Australian champion.

The 23-year-old, coming back from injury, will now face Sharapova for a place in the final after the Russian fourth seed worked hard to beat compatriot Nadia Petrova 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.

Maria Sharapova of Russia hits a return against compatriot Nadia Petrova at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 24, 2006. [Reuters]

Nalbandian, who beat French veteran Fabrice Santoro, will take on Baghdatis, an unseeded Cypriot who came through a five-set marathon against Croat seventh seed Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.

David Nalbandian of Argentina hits a return against Fabrice Santoro of France at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 24, 2006. [Reuters] Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus falls on the court during his match against Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 25, 2006. Baghdatis won 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 and reached semis. [Reuters]

"She put me under pressure in the first set, I wasn't feeling very comfortable but I kept fighting and I came through," said Henin-Hardenne, who has now won 19 consecutive matches in Australia.

"It's pretty emotional at the end of any match, particularly when you have made a semi-final of a Grand Slam," she added.

Davenport, a triple Grand Slam winner, has now gone 20 majors stretching back six years without lifting a trophy and was upset that she threw away the match.

"I felt like I started well, I was being consistent and was in control. There were a couple of quick games in the second where I gave points away and it gave her confidence. I slightly got away from my game plan," she said.

"I've worked really hard and to play well then slowly play worse as the match goes on is a bad feeling."

She was frustrated by an ankle injury in her earlier matches but refused to blame it for her defeat, insisting it didn't bother her Tuesday.

Sharapova, 18, waltzed into her second straight semi-final here but was made to sweat in the first set by Petrova.

"It was very difficult, I've played Nadia in the last two Grand Slams in the quarter-finals as well and we've had such tough matches and I've been able to pull through so I'm very happy," said Sharapova.

The 2004 Wimbledon champion has never gone beyond the semis here and knows she needs to lift her game to another level if she is to get there.

"I'll have to step it up that's for sure but I'm confident I can," she said.

"I'm moving a lot better. I feel like the biggest weapon of mine is just my toughness and I know that over any girl, until the end, I'm going to be a tough opponent."

The Russian number one is becoming a Grand Slam bogeyman for Petrova, beating her at the same stage in the last two majors -- the US Open and Wimbledon last year.

Nalbandian ground out an easy win against Santoro, who troubled him in the first set with some unorthodox play before collapsing 7-5, 6-0, 6-0 in just 1hr 41min, shorter than the women's matches.

Nalabandian is confident of going all the way, despite the charismatic Cypriot, who earlier defeated second seed Andy Roddick, firing on all cylinders to make his first Grand Slam semi-final.

"I'm in the semis now so I'm very happy. I will try to be in the final and try to play all the four Grand Slam finals," Nalbandian said.

"My goal is to win some Grand Slams. I'm ready to do it."

Nalbandian has now reached the semi-finals of all four Grand Slam events -- French Open (2004), Wimbledon (2002) and US Open (2003) and the Australian, and is bidding to become only the second Argentinian to win the Australian Open.

Guillermo Vilas was the first in 1978 and 1979.