BEIJING, Jan. 14 -- Justine Henin-Hardenne came back from a set and 4-1 down to win Friday's Sydney International final 4-6 7-5 7-5 over Italian Francesca Schiavone.

Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne (L) holds the winner's trophy and Italy's Francesca Schiavone the runner's-up trophy after the women's final at the Sydney International tennis tournament January 13, 2006. Henin-Hardenne won the women's final beating Schiavone 4-6 7-5 7-5. (Xinhua/Reuters)

    Two years ago, Henin-Hardenne won this tournament and went on to take the season's first major at the Australian Open two weeks later.

    Schiavone, 0-3 against Henin-Hardenne going into the match, lost her sixth WTA final in as many attempts.

    Henin-Hardenne served poorly throughout, double-faulting to open the sixth game of the opening set after struggling to hold serve in the fourth. She fell behind 0-40, then double-faulted again to hand Schiavone a 4-2 lead.

    The Belgian player saved her best game when Schiavone was serving for the set at 5-3, breaking the Italian's serve and fighting off a set point with a passing crosscourt backhand that clipped the line.

Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium celebrates winning the first point of the last game of the final match against Francesca Schiavone of Italy during the Sydney International tennis tournament in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 13, 2006. Henin-Hardenne won the match 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. (Xinhua/Reuters)

    Henin-Hardenne achieved the break two points later, but her serving woes continued in the next game. On set point to Schiavone, Henin-Hardenne wildly mis-hit a backhand that went wide.

    Henin-Hardenne was broken again in the third game of the second set, and Schiavone held in the next game to go up 4-1. The Belgian broke back in the next game, then pulled to 4-3 when she broke an erratically serving Schiavone in the seventh.

    Henin-Hardenne broke serve again for a 6-5 lead and evened the match at one set each on her third set point with a forehand winner.

    At 5-5 in the final set, Henin-Hardenne broke Schiavone's service and was serving for the match at 6-5 when rain forced a 30-minute suspension in play with the Belgian up 15-0.

    Ballboys and ballgirls used towels to dry the court, and Henin-Hardenne returned to clinch the three-hour match on her second championship point. Enditem

    (Source: CRIENGLISH.com)