Rivals see Henin as big threat at French Open

Berlin: Even after another painful loss on Thursday at the German Open, Justine Henin's rivals still think the Belgian can pull it together to win a fifth French Open next month.

Dinara Safina said the world No. 1 can bounce back after she beat Henin 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. Serena Williams had a similar view after her 6-3, 6-1 rout of Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska extended her streak to 17 matches.

"Henin's such a great winner," said Williams, who reached the quarter-finals. "She can play a lot better. She knows that, and she can take solace in that fact."

Serena handed Henin the worst loss for a No. 1 player in nine years last month at the Sony Ericsson, 6-2, 6-0. That came after the Belgian was knocked out of the Australian Open in January by in another hard loss, 6-4, 6-0, to Maria Sharapova..

Some now wonder if the game has changed too much for Henin, even on her favourite surface.

"Henin has mastered clay, but I think the game is getting more powerful, like Serena is playing," said Ivanovic, the world No. 2 who advanced against Sybille Bmmer, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

After the Serena loss, Henin took a month off to nurse a knee injury and refocus on tennis. She returned to play an event she has captured three times, twice ahead of a French Open title in June.

"If I going to get my confidence back, then it has to be here," Henin said.

But the Belgian never shook off her tentativeness against Safina, the 17th-ranked Russian who hadn't taken a set against her in five previous matches. After 2 hours 34 minutes, Henin missed the line with a hard forehand to end the match.

"The whole match I didn't have the intensity, I didn't have the consistency," Henin said. "It wasn't enough today. Now we have to see in the next few weeks."

Safina acknowledged that the rest of the players are aware Henin hasn't been the same since the Australian Open loss to Sharapova snapped a 32-match winning streak.

"I wasn't afraid to play her today. Going into the match, I had a feeling today I could win," Safina said.

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Henin reminded Safina of her brother Marat Safin, the two-time Grand Slam winner who has slid out of the Top 10.

"Like my brother, when you have won everything its hard to motivate yourself - I don't think its possible to do that all the time," Safina said. "But Henin is such a great player, things could change very quickly."

Serena believes the week-in, week-out stress of staying on top can be tough. Her eight Grand Slams is one better than Henin, but the American has pursued interests like acting and design outside tennis.

"It's not easy to play the same places, face the same players every week and eat the same food," Serena said. "Me, I'm not tired, I've had a lot of time off and I'm in top shape."

She overpowered the 11th-seeded Radwanska in just 57 minutes.

"I tell myself if I play well, I make it easier on myself," said Serena, chasing a second French Open title after 2002. "I usually beat myself and I'm tired of beating myself."

Serena pointed out Henin has only four losses this year, a record most players would envy. The Belgian also won two titles, although they came before the Australian Open.

Now Henin will review whether she will play Rome next week, or deal in a different way with problems not fixed at one of her favorite tournaments.

"I really wanted to use this tournament to get my confidence back," Henin said. "Now I will have to see."