Henin-Hardenne plays through pain to win epic contest

It was billed as a grudge match, and the fourth-round meeting between Lindsay Davenport and Justine Henin-Hardenne did not disappoint. Packed with excitement from beginning to end, it featured 17 breaks of serve, two audacious comebacks and a dramatic collapse on centre court.

Henin-Hardenne hobbled off the Rod Laver Arena yesterday, completely exhausted, after beating Davenport 7-5, 5-7, 9-7 at the Australian Open. The Belgian No 5 seed crumpled to the ground, stricken with cramp, while serving at 7-7 and 0-15 in the third set. But she returned to court battling, fired off an ace and – despite being in obvious pain – wrapped up the epic match in three hours and 13 minutes.

Both women received a standing ovation after an encounter described by the centre court compère – for once, not exaggerating – as "one hell of a match". Henin-Hardenne, who had to be helped off court by a trainer, said: "I thought I was going to die, but I played with my heart and just went for it. I kept fighting. I wanted to win this match and I gave it everything I had."

The Belgian had never defeated Davenport in five previous attempts and, following their last meeting in Zurich in October, accused the American of inventing an injury after the first set. Yesterday it was Henin-Hardenne who took two medical time-outs. "Do you think she was faking it?" was the first question for Davenport at the post-match press conference. "No, no," she replied, laughing.

The Californian, a triple grand slam winner seeded No 9 here after a nine-month injury lay-off, screamed with frustration as she threw away a 4-1 lead in the third set. "In a match like that, it comes down to a few points," she said. "Could have gone my way, but it didn't. I tried my absolute hardest out there. I went for every point. But the level of tennis she was able to come up with was just too good."

The momentum swung back and forth during the match, and the break points came thick and fast: 16 in the first set, 12 in the second, 15 in the third. Henin-Hardenne was first to seize the offensive after a slow start in which both women appeared grumpy and ill at ease; Davenport was particularly sluggish and distracted in the first set, missing easy shots and unable to find her rhythm.

After six consecutive breaks of serve, which levelled the score at 4-4, it was a major event when the Belgian held serve in the following game. Davenport saved a set point at 4-5 and two more at 5-6, but then dumped a forehand into the net on the fourth.

With one set under her belt, Henin-Hardenne bounced confidently into the second and quickly built up a 4-1 lead. Play was briefly interrupted when an errant piece of plastic floated down on to the court; a ballboy smartly caught it and put it in his pocket. The Belgian seemed in control, but – in a spectacular reversal of fortune – Davenport saved three break points to hold serve during a marathon sixth game, then broke serve and held again to equalise at 4-4. She broke again for 6-5 and – from being 0-40 down in the 12th game – saved four break points before closing out the set.

Now it was Davenport, the 2000 Australian Open champion, who was back in the match and champing at the bit, while Henin-Hardenne was – as John McEnroe, commentating on television, put it – "one mightily fed-up Belge [sic]".

The 6ft 3in American, who towered over her opponent by almost nine inches, broke serve in the third game of the third set. Henin-Hardenne called for the trainer during the change of ends to treat blisters on her right foot. The respite did not help her; Davenport broke again in the fifth game to go 4-1 up.

Just as it seemed that Davenport was heading for victory, the Belgian – in a near repetition of events in the second set – broke serve, held and broke once again for 4-4. The American replied by breaking back straight away, but Henin-Hardenne broke once again as Davenport served for the match.

Both women were worn out by now, and Henin-Hardenne was moving like a wounded warrior. Davenport saved a match point at 6-7; then came the moment of high drama when the Belgian, having just served, grabbed her leg and collapsed, lying flat on her back with a look of agony on her face.

Then the finale: resuming the game after being massaged and swathed in ice packs, Henin-Hardenne broke serve at the third attempt for 8-7 before triumphing on her third match point. She tossed her racket in the air, crouched forward in pain and then staggered to her chair, where she sat with her towel over her face.

The Belgian, who plays the unseeded Virginia Ruano Pascual, of Spain, in the quarter-final, said she thought the match was finished when she keeled over. "It's the first time I've won this kind of match and it's great for my confidence," she said.

Venus Williams, the No 2 seed, had a far easier time, beating Nicole Pratt, of Australia, 6-3, 6-2, to go through to the quarter-finals. Venus next meets the No 7 seed, Daniela Hantuchova, after the Slovak defeated the 12th-seeded Patty Schnyder, of Switzerland.