JUSTINE HENIN HARDENNE CONFIRMS ENTRY INTO HASTINGS DIRECT
INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Four Top Five WTA Tour Players Now Entered
Current world number five Justine Henin-Hardenne will be
making her Eastbourne debut when she appears in this month’s
Hastings Direct International Championships from 17-24 June
The former world number one Belgian tennis star, who withdrew
from last year’s event through injury, will join other
top five players Kim Clijsters, Amelie Mauresmo and Nadia
Petrova, all of whom are eager to gain crucial grass court
competition ahead of The Championships, Wimbledon.
Justine has had an impressive year to date winning two Tour
singles titles in Sydney and Dubai to take her career total
to 25. She reached the final of the Australian Open in January
where she met Amelie Mauresmo, however hampered by illness
she was forced to retire at the beginning of the second set.
Her performances in Australia saw the Belgian player return
to the world’s top five for the first time since October
2005. Justine made an impressive return to the Tour in February
when she won the Dubai title for the third time in her career
and in doing so passed the $10 million mark in her career
earnings. Two semi finals at Indian Wells and Charleston as
well as playing a part in Belgium’s Fed Cup victory
over Russia, she also finished runner-up at the clay court
event in Berlin.
Justine Henin-Hardenne said: “I’ve only heard
good things about Eastbourne and my best friend on Tour, Natalie
Dechy, loves the tournament and she has always told me I have
to come. I was supposed to go last year but unfortunately
I was injured so I was very disappointed, but this year I
hope I can make it and have the best preparation there for
Wimbledon.”
She added “I heard that the courts are very good, and
everyone says it is the best preparation for Wimbledon. I
hope that we are going to have good weather in England.”
Looking ahead to The Championships, Wimbledon she commented:
“I think I have a good game to play on grass but I have
to play the likes of the Williams sisters, Davenport and Sharapova.
It’s not easy for me. They are so tall and strong and
on grass that counts, they hit the ball so hard and so deep,
so on grass it is not easy for me to compete against them,
but I have been in the final once and twice in the semis.
It would be the best thing that could happen to me in my career
winning the four grand slams, it is a dream for me; I hope
I can do that.”
Hastings Direct International Championships Tournament Director
Gavin Fletcher said: “We are hugely honoured to welcome
Justin Henin-Hardenne to the Hastings Direct International
Championships this year. She is an inspirational character
both on and off the court and is sure to receive tremendous
support from the crowd at Devonshire Park.”
He added: “It promises to be a mouth-watering week
of tennis with four of the world’s top five players
confirmed for the event and I would urge tennis fans to book
their tickets quickly to ensure that they don’t miss
out.”
Qualifying for this year’s event will take place between
Saturday 17 and Monday 19 of June 2006. The main draw will
be played between Monday 19 and Saturday 24 of June 2006 at
Devonshire Park, Eastbourne. Each day’s play will commence
at 11:30am.
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