TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS:JUSTINE HENIN continued her impressive return to reach the quarter-finals at the Australian Open on a day when two of the top three seeds fell out of the draw.
Henin is less than four weeks into her return from 20 months out of the game but is in sight of an eighth grand slam title after she fought off the challenge of fellow Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 7-6 (7/4) 1-6 6-3.
Second seed Dinara Safina made a tearful exit after she was forced to withdraw from her match against Maria Kirilenko with a recurrence of the back injury that laid her low over the off-season.
Safina was trailing 5-4 and 30-40 on serve when she retired.
“I cannot make any movement. Whatever I try to move, it hurts terribly,” she said.
Third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova became Nadia Petrova’s second big-name scalp in two days after she lost 6-3 3-6 6-1 to the 19th seed.
Petrova’s win came just two days after she thrashed US Open champion Kim Clijsters 6-0 6-1.
Petrova is now the only seed left in the bottom half of the draw and will take on wildcard entrant Henin after the returning Belgian kept her quest for a dream return alive.
The former world number one did not have things all her own way, however, as Wickmayer raced through the second set in 29 minutes to level the match before Henin steadied to close out another energy-sapping contest.
“It wasn’t easy. She played a great match,” Henin said. “Physically it was not easy for me. I missed two years so that’s why I love being on the court now.
“It’s a great feeling to be back. Everything is going so well.”
Safina admitted she feared a lengthy spell on the sidelines after re-injuring her back.
The 23-year-old was diagnosed with an inflamed spine after the end-of-season event in Doha last November and was laid low during the off-season as she attempted to recover for the Australian Open.
“(It feels) exactly the same like in Doha. Exactly the same. I just cannot move anywhere,” she said.
“The physio asked me to lie on the table. I said ‘I cannot lie’.
“I cannot make any movement. Whatever I try to move, it hurts terribly.
“I have to go back to Germany to my doctor to speak with him. I did an MRI before I came here and my bone edema was getting much smaller.
“It could not happen again I hope. It’s shocking.”
The walkover win for Kirilenko, who turns 23 today, meant she progressed to the last eight of a grand slam for the first time and will play China’s Zheng Jie.
Zheng progressed to a grand slam quarter-final for the second time with a 7-6 (7/5) 6-4 win over 31st seed Alona Bondarenko.
Henin has retained the same killer instinct that enabled her to win seven grand slam titles but is concerned about the effects on her health.
“My left leg is quite sore. I sprained my ankle today also when I fell down,” she said. “I hope it’s going to be okay tomorrow. Physically it hasn’t been easy in the last few days.”
Henin was inspired to rejoin the circuit when she watched Clijsters win last year’s US Open after she quit to start a family. She is relishing every moment but remains wary of making any bold predictions.
“It’s magical out there the way I feel. I feel so happy on the court. I feel it’s my place,” Henin said. “Of course, I have dreams. I’ll try to go as far as possible. If it’s till the end, it would be amazing but it’s still too early to talk about that.”
Kirilenko, who upset Maria Sharapova in the opening round, said she was unaware that Safina was in excruciating pain because she was so focused on the match.
She was one point away from winning the first set when Safina hobbled to the net and said she was unable to continue.
Today in Melbourne (early this morning Irish time), Italy’s Francesca Schiavone takes on sixth-seed Venus Williams in the fourth round, while number one seed Serena meets local Samantha Stosur. Russia’s Vera Zvonareva takes on Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, and fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark plays China’s Na Li.
For the men, Spain’s Fernando Verdasco meets Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko, while Roger Federer plays Lleyton Hewitt.
MEN – Fourth round: (7) Andy Roddick (USA) bt (11) Fernando Gonzalez (Chi) 6-3 3-6 4-6 7-5 6-2, (14) Marin Cilic (Cro) bt (4) Juan Martin Del Potro (Arg) 5-7 6-4 7-5 5-7 6-3, (5) Andy Murray (Gbr) bt (33) John Isner (USA) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-2, (2) Rafael Nadal (Spa) bt Ivo Karlovic (Cro) 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-4.
WOMEN – Fourth round: Justine Henin (Bel) bt Yanina Wickmayer (Bel) 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-3, (19) Nadia Petrova (Rus) bt (3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) 6-3 3-6 6-1, Jie Zheng (Chn) bt (31) Alona Bondarenko (Ukr) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4, Maria Kirilenko (Rus) bt (2) Dinara Safina (Rus) 5-4 ret.
