Zurich, SWITZERLAND, October 19, 2003 (AFP) - Justine Henin-Hardenne defeated unseeded Jelena Dokic of Serbia-Montenegro 6-0, 6-4 to capture both the tournament title here and the world number one ranking for the first time in her career.
She is the 13th number one since computer rankings were introduced in November 1975, and she replaces fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters who held the top spot for 10 weeks.
"It's a great day for sure," said Henin-Hardenne. "I always gave everything I have to be number one. It's
an amazing feeling.
"I started tennis when I was five and to be number one was a dream. I don't realise right now I'm the
13th player to be number one, but tomorrow it will be easier."
The French and US Open champion took just 50 minutes to win her eighth title of the year and a
cheque for 189,000 dollars.
Dokic, who had upset top seed Clijsters in the semi-finals, was never able to mount a challenge after a
disastrous opening set.
Having begun against Clijsters by dropping the first set 6-1 in 17 minutes, Dokic made an even worse
start against Henin-Hardenne. The set lasted just 15 minutes and she won only three points, none of
them on her own serve.
And while she had been able to turn the match around against Clijsters, this time a determined
Henin-Hardenne refused to let her into the match.
Although she finally managed to hold serve at the beginning of the second set, and held three break
points in the next game as Henin-Hardenne stumbled briefly with three double-faults, Dokic was unable to make a breakthrough.
A poor game at 2-2 and a forehand hit long on break point gave Henin-Hardenne the only break of the set and, although Dokic held
both her remaining service games without the loss of a point, the damage was done.
The Belgian said: "I served unbelievable, like I never did in the past. Eleven aces and more than 70 percent on my first serve.
"I could see finally the work I did in the last few months on my serve. It wasn't very natural, and we worked on this part of my
game, and on this surface it's very important because you win so many easy points. It gives you a lot of confidence."
And although she won the first set so easily, it made her anxious in the early part of the second.
"I was just a little bit nervous at 1-0 in the second set because it's always dangerous when you've won a set 6-0. It's not easy to
deal with this situation, but finally I came through," she said.
Dokic, whose ranking will improve dramatically from 25 to around 14 as a result of her success, admitted that she had not
performed well, but the week had been an unexpected success for her.
"I didn't play as well as yesterday," said Dokic, "and she served better than me, she was more solid than me. When I had the
break points (in the second set) I was too passive. I didn't go for my shots and just tried to make them, and she took advantage of
that.
"Maybe if I had got the break there it might have been different, but it just didn't didn't happen. But for me to come as far as I have, it's a great tournament. I surprised myself, not just by winning but the way I played."
