PARIS - Justine Henin-Hardenne has scooped up her second French Open title in the most one-sided final in 17 years, thrashing French bundle of ticks and twitches Mary Pierce 6-1 6-1.
The Belgian, who lost her world number one ranking after missing much of last year with an energy-sapping virus,
reclaimed the Roland Garros crown she first won in 2003 as Pierce fell apart in front of her friends, family and fans.
The final was an embarrassing spectacle which left Pierce devastated. As her final backhand slapped into the net after 62 excruciating minutes she stood still, hand over her mouth, nowhere to hide.
Henin-Hardenne was almost apologetic after the most one-sided final since Steffi Graf thrashed Natasha Zvereva 6-0 6-0 in 1988.
"Mary is somebody I like very much and respect a lot. It was very difficult for her," the 10th-seeded Belgian said.
"It wasn't an easy situation... she had to deal with a lot of pressure. Being here in the final in France, I think it's not easy for her."
But reflecting on her own achievement of winning the claycourt grand slam in just her fifth tournament of the year, having only returned from a knee fracture in late March, Henin-Hardenne added: "There are no words to describe this magic moment.
"It's been very difficult time last year and a lot of questions. And I have a little bit of an answer. So that's very good.
"FANTASTIC WEEKS"
"I didn't know if I was going to be able to be at my best level any more, and I think I proved it many times in the last few weeks that I'm back. So that's great."
Henin-Hardenne won three warm-up events heading into Roland Garros and is now on a 24-match winning streak.
Having saved two match points in her fourth round match against Svetlana Kuznetsova, the Belgian became only the fourth woman to win the French Open having fought off a match point. She joined Anastasia Myskina last year, Margaret Osbourne-Dupont in 1946 and Margaret Court in 1962.
"It's been two fantastic weeks," she said. "Paris will remain forever a very special tournament."
The fans had come to crown a French champion five years after Pierce won in Paris for the first time. They had come to cheer her on as she defended their honour against neighbouring Belgium.
They wanted to see the stubborn, courageous Pierce who had knocked the stuffing out of world number one Lindsay Davenport earlier in the week.
PROMISING START
Instead they found a bundle of nervous ticks and gestures wrapped up in a bright pink tennis outfit.
"It's difficult to talk," the 30-year-old Pierce told the crowd, sobbing and shaking with emotion after her ordeal.
"I'm sorry it didn't last very long," she added, tears running down her cheeks.
The tension at the beginning was palpable as Pierce, slowly bouncing the ball, brushing her hair from her eyes, smoothing her outfit, held for a 1-0 lead.
It was a promising start but proved to be an empty promise as the next six games flashed by in a blur of thigh-slapping, arm-waving gestures during which the Frenchwoman won just six more points.
The crowd's spirits were dampened, light drizzle began to fall and the umbrellas came out. All the while Henin-Hardenne swept winners past Pierce or the Frenchwoman sprayed errors around the arena and into the net.
Trailing 1-0 in the second set Pierce returned a ball to a ballboy a little too firmly, forcing the child to take evasive action. It was the most accurate Pierce had been all match.
One point later she missed a simple smash from one metre from the net so badly even her own fans joined the Belgian contingent in laughing and whistling.
Pierce could do no right.
Still the stamping and pirouetting continued while Henin-Hardenne continued to crack the ball from side to side waiting for the error. She never had to wait long.
Pierce played with her hair, she stared at her feet, she twirled her racket but she could never mount a challenge against her 23-year-old opponent.
"You know, just wasn't my day," she said. "You know, just didn't really feel like it was working my way."
- REUTERS
PARIS - Justine Henin-Hardenne has scooped up her second French Open title in the most one-sided final in 17 years, thrashing French bundle of ticks and twitches Mary Pierce 6-1 6-1.
The Belgian, who lost her world number one ranking after missing much of last year with an energy-sapping virus,
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