AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 29, 2004

Justine Henin

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Justine, please.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think I played a really good match because Fabiola was playing a very good level, and she played really well. I started the match very good, so it helped me. It give me a lot of confidence. And I knew it could be a tough match. Even if the score is 6-2, 6-2, it was good fight on very important points. I think I was really focused on what I had to do. I stayed very calm when the situation wasn't that easy. So, no, I'm very happy. The situation is not easy, you know, playing an outsider in the semifinal. And, like I said, Fabiola is very talented, and she played very good match.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, I mean, the quarters, it was a very good match against Lindsay. And it's really different. It's very hard to compare. But I think that today I was there from the first point till the end of the match. And that was the key, to stay concentrate on every point.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, we familiar with because we played each other many times, and two times in Grand Slam finals last year. But, like I said, it's important. Really, it's a Grand Slam final. That's going to be another great moment in my career. And people are going to make a lot of noise, again, if it's an all-Belgian final, which I understand, because it's huge for a little country. But I think that both Kim and me are getting familiar and used to this situation. So I can't tell you how I'm going to feel before going on court on Saturday. But I'll go on the court and just try to give my best one more time. It's been a very difficult tournament for me because it was new, being here, being the first seed. That wasn't easy every day, especially at the beginning of the tournament. But I change the situation since the quarters, and I'm feeling better. But the final is going to be another match, another tough match. And I know I'll have to improve my level again if I want to take this title.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, probably it's different. But when we go on the court, if Kim wins today, it's going to be No. 1 against No. 2. It doesn't make big difference. I'm not going to be the favorite because I'm No. 1. I mean, we played unbelievable matches in our career. And Kim is a great player. We'll see what's going to happen. It's very hard to tell you what's going to happen.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think everybody knows it, but I can start again. No, my idol was Steffi Graf. I told it again on court today. I watch her in, you know, many times on TV, at the French Open, in the final in 1992. And Stefan Edberg also on the men's tour. Not because of only their game, but because they were such great champions on and off the court. I have so much respect for these kind of players because they're doing an unbelievable job for tennis. So, yeah, it's like this.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I don't -- I think that's great, to be a model. I hope I'll be an example, you know, for a lot of kids. That's why the attitude on the court is very important all the time because a lot of kids are watching you, and you have to show them a very good attitude, being positive all the time, having a lot of respect for everybody all the time. And that's what I'm trying to do. And I hope I can be an example, for sure.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, we discussed a lot about that, you know, because last year they were injured at the end of the season. And I think it's going to be good for everybody, for all the players, when they going to come back. But that's not our fault if they injured or if, you know, Venus came back here but it's not easy after six months off to be at your best level. It takes a little bit of time. We just try to make this even very high level of competition. We do our best for it. And I think that we could see very good matches, you know, in this tournament again. But everybody's going to be happy when they going to come back. But to be honest, that's not my problem right now.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think that's good. But it's good also to see different kind of players like we saw Zuluaga and Patty Schnyder here in the semifinals. I think that's good to watch other players, that's very important. But I think that people like when the favorites are there at the end of the tournament, which is normal, you know. A lot of identification to these players.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I didn't know what to expect before coming here because the situation was new for me. But I had the feeling during my first matches that I had to win, I had to prove I'm the best player in the world, which is stupid a little bit because other players are great, great players, and everybody can win this tournament, or I stay at home and don't come to play. I had this feeling during my first matches that I had to prove that I have good tennis and to show it to all the people, and that's ridiculous because the most important thing is your attitude and the way you want to fight and the way you want to win. And that's what I did in the quarters and now in the semis. But I found out in this tournament that being No. 1 is something important. But that's not everything, because the results are the most important thing. And winning every match that comes to you is the most important thing.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I never felt that. I think that I agree that we really different, really different kind of game, different characters, which is good. So that's perfect, you know. But I never had the feeling that one is coming from the north, the other is coming from the south. And it doesn't matter at all. I think that Kim has a lot of fans. I have, too. And one more time, it's just amazing, you know. Maybe it's going to be another all-Belgian final. It's just something crazy for a little country.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Maybe people get used to it and now it's normal that we are in the final. But for myself, the feeling is still as great as it was for the first time because we have to be conscious that it's great. Again, in the final, that's just amazing. I'm only 21 years old. I have more and more experience. What I live right now is unbelievable. And I work very hard for it, so I know that's not a gift. But I really enjoy my tennis, and that's very important.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No. I think about for sure winning one day all the Grand Slams. I mean, I want to stay realistic and just play match after match, tournament after tournament. And, you know, the level of the game right now is very high. So that's not easy at all. But I just try to give my best every time I go on the court and not thinking about something that I don't have any answer right now.