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Caroline Wozniacki - Source: Photosport
Argentina's Gisela Dulko delivered one of the best wins of her
career when she beat former world number one Justine Henin 6-2 1-6
6-4 at the Indian Wells WTA tournament on Friday.
Dulko, seeded 31st at the $4.5 million event, broke 2004 champion
Henin three times in an error-strewn final set before wrapping up
victory in one hour 56 minutes.
Serving at 40-0, the Argentine chased down a delicate drop shot by
the Belgian before hitting a sharply angled crosscourt forehand
winner to end the match.
The 25-year-old from Buenos Aires then sank to her knees in
disbelief as the fans watching on the stadium court applauded her
success.
"It feels great," Dulko said in a courtside interview after
advancing to the third round where she will meet fifth seed
Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
"I don't think I can talk right now. I am so excited, so happy. She
(Henin) is an unbelievable champion and to beat her on this court
is very special."
Henin, a dangerous wildcard entry, had been competing in her first
tournament since losing to American Serena Williams in the
Australian Open final in late January.
The Belgian, a seven-times grand slam champion, had reached
successive finals since returning to the circuit this year after
quitting the game in 2008.
Battled past
Earlier on Friday, second seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark
battled past American Vania King 5-7 6-2 6-4 while fourth-seeded
Russian Elena Dementieva also had to work hard before beating Olga
Govortsova of Belarus 6-4 4-6 6-0.
The 19-year-old Wozniacki clawed her way back from 4-1 down in the
third set before sealing victory in two hours 28 minutes when King
hit a backhand long.
"I just kept fighting for every point," a relieved Wozniacki said
after breaking her unseeded opponent in the seventh and ninth games
of the final set.
"Vania was playing really, really good and it was a tough match but
I am so happy I came through."
Asked what she felt when she trailed in the final set, the Dane
replied: "I was just telling myself: 'It's not over yet'. She still
has two more games before she wins the match.
"I stepped it up a little bit at that point, and I think she got a
little bit more nervous as well because she knew that she could
finish the match. I just kept hanging in there."
In other matches, 22nd-seeded German Sabine Lisicki made an early
exit when she retired from her match against American Jill Craybas
trailing 4-6 7-5 2-0.
Fifth seed Radwanska advanced when Russian Anna Chakvetadze also
retired at 6-2 5-3
