Serena, Henin set for rematch
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Serena Williams says she will not be affected by the crowd when she takes on Justine Henin in the quarter-finals of the French Open Tuesday, reports BBC.
Williams was booed during a highly contentious semi-final against Henin in 2003 - the last time they met in Paris.
"I don't want to reflect on that anymore. I let it go. It seems like decades ago," said the 25-year-old.
"I've definitely matured a lot. If the crowd gets involved, I'm just going to zone out, focus on me."
Williams went into the 2003 French Open as a favourite for the title having won the last four Grand Slams, but the American left Chatrier Court in tears after a three-set defeat to Henin - who went on to lift the trophy.
The match reached boiling point midway through the deciding set when Henin, a favourite of the Paris crowd, raised her hand to indicate she was not ready to receive a serve.
Williams served anyway but then claimed she was distracted and asked for two serves.
However, the umpire said he had not seen Henin's hand signal and the Belgian refused to back up her opponent's claim.
A tearful Williams later accused Henin of "lying and fabricating", while Williams' mother said the Paris crowd had "showed a lack of class and total ignorance".
After winning her fourth-round match on Sunday, Williams admitted she had never spoken to Henin about the incident but she maintained that it would not have any bearing on Tuesday's match.
"I don't think about it. I know I wasn't at fault in any way, and I guess she was doing everything to win," she said.
"It was what it was, but we're both different people now."
Henin said she too has matured since 2003.
"A lot of things happened in our careers, in our personal lives, and we probably grew up a lot," she said.
"The situation is completely different this time. It seems very far away now.
"We've never talked about what happened in 2003 because, well, that's the way it is. We live our own lives. And I think things have calmed down.
"I think it's no use trying to revive an old story. That was four years ago."
Williams was booed during a highly contentious semi-final against Henin in 2003 - the last time they met in Paris.
"I don't want to reflect on that anymore. I let it go. It seems like decades ago," said the 25-year-old.
"I've definitely matured a lot. If the crowd gets involved, I'm just going to zone out, focus on me."
Williams went into the 2003 French Open as a favourite for the title having won the last four Grand Slams, but the American left Chatrier Court in tears after a three-set defeat to Henin - who went on to lift the trophy.
The match reached boiling point midway through the deciding set when Henin, a favourite of the Paris crowd, raised her hand to indicate she was not ready to receive a serve.
Williams served anyway but then claimed she was distracted and asked for two serves.
However, the umpire said he had not seen Henin's hand signal and the Belgian refused to back up her opponent's claim.
A tearful Williams later accused Henin of "lying and fabricating", while Williams' mother said the Paris crowd had "showed a lack of class and total ignorance".
After winning her fourth-round match on Sunday, Williams admitted she had never spoken to Henin about the incident but she maintained that it would not have any bearing on Tuesday's match.
"I don't think about it. I know I wasn't at fault in any way, and I guess she was doing everything to win," she said.
"It was what it was, but we're both different people now."
Henin said she too has matured since 2003.
"A lot of things happened in our careers, in our personal lives, and we probably grew up a lot," she said.
"The situation is completely different this time. It seems very far away now.
"We've never talked about what happened in 2003 because, well, that's the way it is. We live our own lives. And I think things have calmed down.
"I think it's no use trying to revive an old story. That was four years ago."