Henin wins Eastbourne title

Justine Henin [Images] avenged last year's Wimbledon final defeat when she beat Amelie Mauresmo to keep the Eastbourne International title on Saturday.

In a thrilling and closely fought final, the Belgian world number one defeated Mauresmo 7-5, 6-7, 7-6 on the Eastbourne grass.

The final between the top two seeds was an indicator of form for Wimbledon, which starts on Monday and which is the only Grand Slam title to elude Henin.

Both women came through the Eastbourne draw without dropping a set and only Henin's greater consistency allowed her to beat the French world number four in the final.

French Open champion Henin came back from 4-1 down in the first set to level at 5-5 and then break Mauresmo, who was struggling with her first serve in the windy conditions, to love.

Henin, who beat Russian Anastasia Myskina [Images] to win last year's final in this seaside resort, wrapped up the set with an ace and an early break put her 2-1 up in the second set.

Midway through the set, Mauresmo, who beat Henin in three sets in last year's Wimbledon final, began to turn the match around.

She broke back for 4-4, hit two aces in the next game and stayed with Henin as the set headed for a tiebreak which she won 7-4.

In her first four service games of the deciding set, Mauresmo dropped only one point and she broke Henin in the fifth game with a forehand winner.

Henin, who has looked perfectly at home on the grass all week after making a swift and smooth transition from the Roland Garros clay, broke back for 5-5 and another tiebreak beckoned.

The Belgian, helped by an opening double fault from Mauresmo, was soon 4-0 up and got to matchpoint at 6-2. Mauresmo then put a forehand into the net to concede defeat in two hours 37 minutes.

Mauresmo, who played with her right thigh strapped up as a precautionary measure, blamed her lack of consistency for the defeat.

"Not enough first serves in, definitely," she told a news conference. "And a few volleys here and there that I had the chance to put away and didn't."

However the week at Eastbourne, where she lost her opening match last year, had given her confidence for Wimbledon, she said.

"Overall, considering the wind, I thought it was a good match," she said. "I am definitely now looking forward to next week."

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