They played in the Wimbledon final a year ago and now Justine Henin and Amelie Mauresmo are just one match away from meeting in the final of the Eastbourne event on grass.
Since Wimbledon, Mauresmo's fortunes have sunk due to injury while Henin has weathered a divorce but has rebounded into top form by winning the French Open earlier this month.At Eastbourne, the top-ranked Belgian made few mistakes in defeating Nicole Vaidisova 6-2, 6-2 while Mauresmo, now ranked fourth, defeated Shahar Peer of Israel 6-3, 6-4.
"I was very happy the way I played, and the way I served especially," Henin said. "My attitude and the way I played tactically was very good and she never really had the time to get a rhythm and really be into the match."
Mauresmo recovered from an early break in the first set, and fell behind 4-2 in the second set before rallying to win the next four games.
"I lost a little bit of intensity in the beginning of the second set and she was able to break me," Mauresmo said. "But I really focused and got the intensity back and made sure I was going to break her back right away and finish really strong."