FL4ZGN
06-07-2007, 08:45 PM
I understand there is an official thread but this deserves it own.
Bartoli stuns Henin to make final
Marion Bartoli caused one of the biggest shocks in Wimbledon history as she defeated world number one Justine Henin in the semi-finals.
The world number 19 will face Venus Williams in Saturday's final after a sensational 1-6 7-5 6-1 win.
Henin raced through the first set in 22 minutes but the big-hitting Bartoli got the better of a second set featuring seven breaks of serve.
And the Frenchwoman hit stunning form in the third as Henin crumbled.
"I can't believe it. I'm so excited," the 22-year-old Bartoli told BBC Sport.
"It's a dream come true. If you told me that I would make the final before the tournament, I wouldn't have believed you.
"I didn't start well. It was so stressful being on Centre Court for the first time. But then I saw Pierce Brosnan in the crowd and he's one of my favourite actors so I just tried to play a little better."
Henin could not wait to get off the court after a shocking defeat which means the Wimbledon title is still missing from her collection.
The Belgian had been a huge favourite to line up against Williams on Saturday in what would have been a repeat of the 2001 final.
Henin, who beat Bartoli 6-1 6-3 at Eastbourne in the lead-up to this year's Wimbledon, has won more titles this year than the Frenchwoman has collected in her entire career and Bartoli had never got beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam before her surprise run here.
And Henin seemed to have one foot in the final after overwhelming Bartoli in the first set and then breaking serve in the opening game of the second.
But as the top seed went into cruise control, Bartoli suddenly found her form, pressurising her opponent's serve with some crunching returns.
The 22-year-old, the French number three, got the better of a scrappy second set and Henin could not recover.
Bartoli raced into a 5-0 lead and, with a bewildered Henin now making error upon error, the 18th seed served out the best win of her career to love.
Bartoli stuns Henin to make final
Marion Bartoli caused one of the biggest shocks in Wimbledon history as she defeated world number one Justine Henin in the semi-finals.
The world number 19 will face Venus Williams in Saturday's final after a sensational 1-6 7-5 6-1 win.
Henin raced through the first set in 22 minutes but the big-hitting Bartoli got the better of a second set featuring seven breaks of serve.
And the Frenchwoman hit stunning form in the third as Henin crumbled.
"I can't believe it. I'm so excited," the 22-year-old Bartoli told BBC Sport.
"It's a dream come true. If you told me that I would make the final before the tournament, I wouldn't have believed you.
"I didn't start well. It was so stressful being on Centre Court for the first time. But then I saw Pierce Brosnan in the crowd and he's one of my favourite actors so I just tried to play a little better."
Henin could not wait to get off the court after a shocking defeat which means the Wimbledon title is still missing from her collection.
The Belgian had been a huge favourite to line up against Williams on Saturday in what would have been a repeat of the 2001 final.
Henin, who beat Bartoli 6-1 6-3 at Eastbourne in the lead-up to this year's Wimbledon, has won more titles this year than the Frenchwoman has collected in her entire career and Bartoli had never got beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam before her surprise run here.
And Henin seemed to have one foot in the final after overwhelming Bartoli in the first set and then breaking serve in the opening game of the second.
But as the top seed went into cruise control, Bartoli suddenly found her form, pressurising her opponent's serve with some crunching returns.
The 22-year-old, the French number three, got the better of a scrappy second set and Henin could not recover.
Bartoli raced into a 5-0 lead and, with a bewildered Henin now making error upon error, the 18th seed served out the best win of her career to love.