=== Henin-Hardenne opens title defense with a win === Flushing Meadows, NY (My Sportsbook) - Top-seeded and defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne was a first-round winner Tuesday at the U.S. Open. French Open titlist Anastasia Myskina joined Henin-Hardenne in the second round of the year's final Grand Slam event. The world No. 1 Henin-Hardenne got past 15-year-old Czech Nicole Vaidisova 6-1, 6-4 to record her eighth straight win at the USTA National Tennis Center. Vaidisova blew a 4-1 lead in the second set, as Henin-Hardenne roared back to close out the match by winning five straight games at Ashe Stadium. The 22- year-old Belgian star advanced in 58 minutes, with the help of six service breaks. Up next for Henin-Hardenne will be little-known Israeli Tzipora Obziler. Henin-Hardenne, who downed Kim Clijsters in last year's all-Belgian final in Flushing, is fresh off her Olympic title in Athens, where she returned to action for the first time in nearly three months after being sidelined with a viral illness. The diminutive Henin-Hardenne is currently the reigning U.S. Open, Australian Open and Olympic champion and won the French Open in 2003. A fourth-seeded Myskina destroyed helpless Ludmila Cervanova 6-1, 6-0 in a mere 42 minutes, as the Slovakian piled up 30 unforced errors in only 13 games. Myskina's second-round opponent this week will be an unknown qualifier, fellow Russian Anna Chakvetadze. |
