What a match! On a cold early morning start at Roland Garros in a guns at dawn scenario with power play, speed and noise (Sharapova) versus guile, grace and manoeuvres in the form of Henin, you couldn’t get a two more completely different players. Game play started as it finished the previous night with Maria Sharapova dominating the proceedings and wearing Henin down to take the first two games in the deciding set and it looked like she could be going through to the quarter finals. But things seemed to change from then on. Henin who relishes the clay surface under the extreme pressure that she must have been under managed to considerably up her game level and won the next four games in a row when Sharapova who wasn’t having any of this upped her game again playing on the edge, to make the score 4-3 to Henin. Henin then managed to pull away for the final two games to make it game set match 6-3. Final Score 6-2 3-6 6-3 and a Henin victory.

PARIS – MAY 30: Justine Henin of Belgium celebrates winning match point during the women’s singles third round match between Justine Henin of Belgium and Maria Sharapova of Russia on day eight of the French Open at Roland Garros on May 30, 2010 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Henin goes through to the 4th round leaving a very dejected Sharapova nursing her wounds on court, we have a picture on our feed showing how dejected she looked, it was the look that could kill and something we avoided publishing on this site, she was livid, we’ve seen many shots of her losing a match but this shot we have never ever seen her look like that.  She wanted this pretty bad but unfortunately Henin wanted it even more. Henin in the end played the better game but her cage was seriously rattled the previous day by Sharapova but showed the mental strength to rise above this and claim her right to the 2010 French Open finals! A true sign of a professional and world class player. As we said in our previous post Sharapova we think could shine at Wimbledon, it will depend on who she is drawn against whether she makes it to the quarter or semi finals. A tamer and disappointed photo of Maria Sharapova pictured below yet again seeing her hopes and dreams drain away on court at the end of play.

PARIS – MAY 30: Maria Sharapova of Russia looks dejected after losing the women’s singles third round match between Justine Henin of Belgium and Maria Sharapova of Russia on day eight of the French Open at Roland Garros on May 30, 2010 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

We have to admit if we did have a bet on we would have gone with Henin, consistency is key here, but the heart was backing Sharapova. But Sharapova’s star is on the rise, she certainly gave Henin the run around and we still say a different surface, a different venue and a few weeks later things could be very different indeed. A match to be remembered for a long time to come!

FJ Girls Related Posts and News

• June 3, 2010 — It’s a Stosur and Schiavone Women’s 2010 French Open final!
• June 1, 2010 — Justine Henin and her shock defeat by Samantha Stosur at the 2010 French Open!
• May 30, 2010 — Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin match suspended after two sets. Play to continue Sunday!
• June 5, 2010 — Francesca Schiavone claims the 2010 Women’s French Open Title!
• June 1, 2010 — Serena Wiliams and Jelena Jankovic through to the 2010 French Open Quarter Finals!

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