No. 1 Spot Is Back in Her Court

Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium hoarded the happiness at the Bank of America WTA Tour Championships in a span of less than 24 hours, driving Anastasia Myskina of Russia to tears and annoying Jennifer Capriati with a quick physical recovery and an equally rapid straight-set victory.

And she is monopolizing one other thing ... the No. 1 ranking.

Henin-Hardenne beat them both with a single-minded display of determination and will hold women’s tennis’ No. 1 ranking until January, at the very least. She came to Los Angeles with the goal of finishing the year on top and broke the tape well before the end of the tournament.

If there was any doubt about what transpired, a smiling Henin-Hardenne telegraphed it when Capriati hit a backhand wide on match point, putting her finger in the air, making the No. 1 sign. She defeated a hobbled Capriati, 6-2, 6-1, in 59 minutes, never faced a break point and committed only seven unforced errors on Friday night at Staples Center.

“It is just amazing because the season has been great,” said Henin-Hardenne, a 21-year-old who won the French Open and U.S. Open in 2003. “I did everything almost perfect. So I think it is great to finish the season No. 1. I can’t believe it right now. I don’t realize it.”

All she had to do was reach the semifinals to secure the year-end No. 1 spot. When the rankings are released by the tour next week, she will move past her countrywoman Kim Clijsters, a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 winner over Amelie Mauresmo of France late Friday.

Not only did Henin-Hardenne’s rise require victories in round-robin play against Myskina and Capriati, it took a tough physical battle as well, fighting off a persistent fever and sinus infection.

Those sort of superlative victories over health have become almost routine in 2003. She survived cramps at the Australian Open and in her epic semifinal victory (7-6 in the third set) against Capriati at the U.S. Open and needed medical attention against Myskina in a match that ended just before midnight Thursday.

It’s not often the courtside area turns into an ER scene, as the doctor took out a stethoscope and blood-pressure gauge to check her vital signs.

“Just seems like that is what you should expect now,” said Capriati, who was suffering from strained hip flexors and had both legs wrapped in the first set before removing the tape.

“I have never seen anybody recover as fast as she does. You know, she plays pretty good for all these things that is bothering her.” The tone was not complimentary.

Henin-Hardenne said she still had a fever on Friday morning. But her health problems may have been exacerbated by nerves and the chase for No. 1, she said.

“That is what was strange,” she said. “This year, always in the tough situations, I played my best tennis. Mentally I have been stronger than ever in these moments like at the U.S. Open or like yesterday when I had to save set points in the first set.

“It is just amazing. Mentally, I improved very much in the last year. And that makes a big difference.”

Meanwhile, these victories have left her opponents feeling fragile.

Myskina, who had a 5-0 lead in the first set against Henin-Hardenne, was devastated after the loss and kept kicking herself, mentally, saying she hugged her pillow and cried. Henin-Hardenne won their match, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5.

“That was tough,” Myskina said. “I was thinking how stupid you can be to lose a set when you are up 5-0. And I closed my eyes. And was still playing tennis. At some point, it was over and over in my mind that I was so mad at myself. And I was so upset. I was crying like a couple of hours. I was so sad.”

Finally, after a few hours, she called her parents and managed to rebuild her psyche in time for her second round-robin match. Myskina rallied from a 1-4 first-set deficit and defeated Ai Sugiyama of Japan, 6-4, 6-3, in 66 minutes. Sugiyama, who is 0-2, is eliminated from contention.

The second spot in that group will come down to today’s match between Capriati and Myskina. In the other group, Mauresmo still has a chance of qualifying for the semifinals but Chanda Rubin would have to lose today.