MELBOURNE, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Brief biographies of the
women’s finalists at the 2010 Australian Open (prefix number
denotes seeding):
1-Serena
Williams (U.S.)
Age: 28
Grand Slam titles: 11 (Australian Open 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009,
French Open 2002, Wimbledon 2002, 2003, 2009, U.S. Open 1999,
2002, 2008)
Has already won the title four times but only in
alternate
years, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. Can she end that sequence
this time? The omens are already good after she teamed up with
her sister Venus to successfully defend their doubles title on
Friday, which they had also only ever won in odd years.
Williams started this tournament with her usual injury concerns
and is finishing it with her thighs, ankles and wrists heavily
bandaged but don’t let that fool you. After sailing through her
early matches she shows she remains as determined as ever by
winning two tight matches against Victoria
Azarenka and Li Na.
Path to the final:
beat Urszula
Radwanska (Poland) 6-1 6-1
beat Petra
Kvitova (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-1
beat 32-Carla
Suarez Navarro (Spain) 6-0 6-3
beat 13-Samantha
Stosur (Australia) 6-4 6-2
beat 7-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) 4-6 7-6 6-2
beat 16-Li Na (China) 7-6 7-6
- -
Justine
Henin (Belgium)
Age: 27
Grand Slam titles: Seven (Australian Open 2004, French Open
2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, U.S. Open 2003, 2007)
Has been the story of this year’s championship after coming
out of retirement earlier this month. Never even thought about
winning the title but is starting to dream about it now after
the draw opened for her when she beat Elena
Dementieva in the
second round. Still not quite as sharp as she was at her peak
but has lost none of her steely determination and remains an
expert at winning the tight matches. She survived a tough
quarter-final against Nadia
Petrova then steamrolled Zheng Jie
in the semis to kill off China’s hopes of a first grand slam
finalist.
Path to the final:
beat Kirsten
Flipkens (Belgium) 6-4 6-3
beat 5-Elena Dementieva (Russia) 7-5 7-6
beat 27-Alisa
Kleybanova (Russia) 3-6 6-4 6-2
beat Yanina
Wickmayer (Belgium) 7-6 1-6 6-3
beat 19-Nadia Petrova (Russia) 7-6 7-5
beat Zheng Jie (China) 6-1 6-0
(Compiled by Julian Linden; Editing by Alastair Himmer)