(adds Dementieva, Schnyder quotes)
By Simon Cambers
CHARLESTON, South Carolina, April 16 - Former
world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne reached the final of
the Family Circle Cup with a 7-6 7-5 win over 17-year-old
Tatiana Golovin of France on Saturday.
In only her second tournament after more than six months
out through illness and injury, the Belgian won a high-quality
encounter to set up a showdown with second-seeded Russian Elena
Dementieva, who beat Swiss Patty Schnyder 3-6 6-4 6-0.
"I would have signed with my eyes closed if someone said I
could be in the quarters in Miami and the final here," the
unseeded Henin-Hardenne said.
"It's a bonus for me but now I am in the final I want to
win. It's great to feel this way again but it's only one step.
Another step, but a very important step."
The 13th seeded Golovin was playing her first Tier I event
semi-final but, having beaten holder Venus Williams and seventh
seed Nadia Petrova on her way to the last four, she looked in
her element on a Stadium Court again affected by gusting winds.
The first set was tight and while Henin-Hardenne served it
at 6-5 she was broken back to force a tiebreak before taking it
7-4.
Golovin showed her mettle again, though, breaking in the
first game and forcing a break point that would have given her
a 3-0 lead.
However, Henin-Hardenne held for 2-1 and reeled off the
next three games to lead 4-2.
Again the teenager hit back to level at 4-4 and had a
chance to break for 5-4 but the Belgian, who has slipped to 43
in the world, held firm and broke two games later to clinch
victory.
VERY AGGRESSIVE
"In the other matches, I was playing well and then getting
a bit nervous at the end," Henin-Hardenne said.
"Today was different. I didn't play my best in the two sets
but at the end when I had to play well on the important points
I was very aggressive and I did a good job."
Golovin said her serve let her down.
"I really didn't get many free points off my serve and I
think that didn't help me at all," the world number 25 said.
"But I've played against some amazing players (this week)
and I've beaten two of them so I'm just really proud of
myself."
Dementieva, runner-up at the French and U.S. Opens in 2004,
came from a set down for the second day running to beat eighth
seed Schnyder and reach her first final of the year.
The Swiss, who had not dropped a set on her way to the last
four, looked on course to reach the final for a second time
here when she took the opening set 6-3.
But Dementieva became more aggressive and it paid off as
she stormed to a 3-0 lead in the second.
Schnyder hit back to level at 4-4 but the Russian broke
again in the 10th game to win the set and level the match
before romping through the deciding set, jumping for joy as a
Schnyder forehand sailed over the baseline.
The victory was also sweet revenge for Dementieva, who was
beaten by Schnyder at the Australian Open in January having led
the Swiss by a set and 4-0.
"When it was 4-0 in the third set I was thinking about
that, and I was just thinking 'not this time'," Dementieva
said.
"But I think the first game of the second set when I was
down 0-40, that was the most important moment of the match. I
was more positive today, and I know she doesn't like it when
I'm aggressive."
Schnyder agreed.
"It was a complete turnaround," she said.
"She was suddenly on and not missing anymore. She found her
game, and her performance was extraordinary at the end."