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| Sunday, 29 January 2006 |
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Mauresmo win maiden Grand Slam title by Clifford Landers reporting from Australia Melbourne (Saturday)- Consecutive injuries to opposition players enabled Third seed Amelie Mauresmo to comfortably bag her maiden Grand Slam crown after Belgium Justine Henin-Hardene retired hurt in the final of the Women's Singles champion at the Kia Australian Open 2006 played in the morning at the Rod Laver Arena today. Once again crucially, injury disrupted the women's proceedings-again in Mauresmo's favor- in what was expected to be an enthralling final which lasted just one set and 52 minutes before a new title holder emerged in the 28-year history of the Open down under. The 26-year Old Frenchwoman won the first set 6-1 against the four-time Grand Slam champion Hardene who was forced to withdraw in the second set trailing 0-2 due to battling stomach complaints after reacting badly to ani-inflammatory medication she had consumed to help cope with an injured shoulder. Earlier, she had left the court at the end of the first set and was down 0-2 in the second when Hardene called in for courtside medical aid and shortly after a brief discussion at the net Mauresmo walked off realizing tearfully that she had finally broken the Grand Slam hoodoo. Mauresmo who had made seven attempts at the title was eighth time lucky -although under unexpected circumstances- to take home the prestigious Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. The last time she came close to the title was in the 1999 final against the invincible Martina Hingis. An emotional Mauresmo said "It's been a very long time coming but I still don't know what to say," at the courtside presentation, admitting it was a somewhat disappointing way to break through for a Grand Slam title- the 87th event here. She took away the A$1,220,000 cheque while Hardene pocketed the A$610,000 runner-up cheque. Remarkably this year, three of Mauresmo's opponents were forced to concede due to injury midway through games. The first was in the third round when young Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek succumbed to the scorching heat, followed by the second seeded Belgiun Kim Clijster's withdrawal in the third set of the semi-final on Thursday due to a rolled ankle and then in the deciding final today after Hardene informed the chair umpire of her inability to continue. When the Men's Singles final is played tomorrow between top seed and the invincible Swiss Roger Federer and unseeded and unpredictable 'giant killer' Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus it is sincerely hoped that it would be a nerve wrecker and run the full distance and void of any disruption or injury. After the Chinese Doubles Women's pair seeded No. 12 created history on Friday by overpowering top seeds Zi Yan and Jie Zheng Lisa Raysomond and Samantha Stosur to become the first Chinese Grand Slam winners with a 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 and A$ 444, 500 win, the Men's Doubles twin-pair and top seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan overcame an early scare from the seeds no. 7 pair of Martin Damm (Czechoslavakia) and Leander Paes (India) in the final and bagged the title in a three setter 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and the A$ 444,000 prize money. Meanwhile, Australian tennis legend Rod Laver who arrived from his usual residence in California, USA on Thursday, will present the Men's Singles trophy to the 2006 champion tomorrow. Although Laver was scheduled to present the 2005 Norman Brookes Challenge Cup to winner of the men's singles at the Centenary tournament he was unable to attend at last minute due to an illness in the family. Laver is the only player in the history of tennis -male or female- to win
the Grand Slam twice - in 1962 and 1969. He won the Australian Open singles
title three times among a career tally of 20 Grand Slam titles (11 singles,
six doubles and three mixed) and is a Legend of the Australian Sporting Hall
of Fame, the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Tennis
Hall of Fame, with the main Arena at Melbourne Park named in his honour. |
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