Little Henin goes a long way

TennisWith Serena Williams away, the mice are set to play. Yet many of the top players who are hoping to win the US Open title in the absence of the younger of the Williams sisters may be inclined to think that even though the big cat will not be there today, they still have a rat in their midst.

Justine Henin-Hardenne is what the Americans call a tough cookie. She may struggle to reach 5ft 6in in her cotton socks, and weighs in at barely nine stones, but the French Open champion has acquired a formidable reputation for taking no prisoners while needling some of her main rivals to the point of fury.

Serena Williams, currently recovering from a knee operation, openly accused Henin-Hardenne of cheating after being beaten in the semi-finals at Roland Garros this year, and Kim Clijsters, who has recently replaced Williams by default as the world number one, pointed the finger of gamesmanship at her fellow Belgian after losing to her this month in the final of the Acura Classic in Carlsbad.

Henin-Hardenne remained unrepentant: "I think the other players don't like it that I appear less strong and tall. Mentally it is hard for them to compete against me."

What drove Serena Williams to tears, and caused the normally easy going Clijsters to scowl darkly, is Henin-Hardenne's unbending desire to prove herself as good or better than either of them, and resolutely to be her own woman in the process.

"I always believe in my chances, and the others don't like it."

The spat with Serena Williams, for which the American six-times grand slam champion exacted swift and complete revenge at Wimbledon, will obviously have no bearing on the US Open. However, the rivalry between Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne, who may well meet in the final, will now be perceived in a new and harsher light after Carlsbad.

Clijsters had won the opening set with relative ease, at which point Henin-Hardenne took an injury time-out to rebandage her blisters. She re-emerged to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, prompting Clijsters to complain that her fellow Belgian, who at 21 is one year older, had not been unduly troubled by her feet, and took the break to regroup mentally.

This was the first time on the professional circuit the two Belgians have come to verbal blows, although they have never exactly been bosom buddies.

Clijsters has reached the number one spot ahead of Henin-Hardenne, currently the number three, but she has done it without winning a slam, which is unique in the 28-year history of the women's rankings.

Of course, all American eyes will be on Venus Williams, without a slam title since winning here against her sister in 2001, and New York's darling, Jennifer Capriati, who has never claimed this title.

Patrick McEnroe, brother of John and the current US Davis Cup captain, has few doubts about the winner in two weeks' time:

"Henin-Hardenne has to be just licking her chops because she has a dream draw. Mentally she's the toughest one out there."

Clijsters holds an 8-7 career advantage over Henin-Hardenne, but the latter has won three of their last four encounters. Neither has gone beyond the quarter-finals here but this time the stakes are the highest they have ever been. Let the battle of the Belgians commence.

Irish Davis Cup player Peter Clarke lost out on his chance to become the first Irish player to compete in the main draw of a Grand Slam since the early 1980s, when he was beaten 6-2 6-3 in his third qualification match at the US Open in New York by German Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-7 6-3 7-6.

Clarke, ranked 329 in the world, had been hoping to emulate Matt Doyle, who made the last 16 at the 1982 US Open before losing to John McEnroe.