New Haven Independent

Henin-Hardenne was ahead 6-0, 1-0 in Saturday’s final match when Davenport, the defending champ, retired due to a shoulder injury. The pain was so bad “I thought I needed to saw my arm off,” she said. She sought help from a medical trainer, then forfeited the match after only 26 minutes of play.

In an evening match, Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko beat Argentina’s Agustin Calleri 6-4, 6-3 to win the men’s final.

Teary-eyed before a crowd of over 7,000, the 30 year-old Davenport apologized to fans. “I feel absolutely horrible for the tournament and all the fans,” she later said. “That’s why I was upset, because obviously they come here to see the best tennis. When you can’t provide your service that you want to, I just feel guilty.”

Davenport came to the tournament after a five-month break due to bulging discs in her spine. She left with a shoulder injury that may put her in a tough spot as she enters the U.S. Open, which starts Monday.

Henin-Hardenne consoled her opponent after the game, wishing her a quick recovery. Then she accepted the trophy, winning her 25th title of her career. Henin-Hardenne is soon be ranked number two in the world, and many consider her a favorite for the U.S. Open.

The match wasn’t much of a contest — Davenport won only 12 of 43 points, with ample unforced errors and an uncharacteristically weak serve. She didn’t put her opponent to the test. Henin-Hardenne ended one rally of deep-hit backhands with a signature surprise: A drop shot, close to the net. Davenport didn’t bother to run after it.

“Five matches in five days is a lot on my body, there’s no question,” said Davenport, who defeated the world’s No. 1 player, Amelie Mauresmo, in the semifinals.

Though Saturday’s match was not a fair comparison, Henin-Hardenne has figured out how to beat Davenport’s powerful serve and deep groundstrokes by mixing up shots in an unpredictable way. The previous four times the two have met, the 24 year-old Belgian has won.

How does she decide when to pop a winner down the line, or slice a drop shot over the net? Henin-Hardenne said she doesn’t have time to strategize.

“You don’t think too much about that too much. It’s just the instinct. It’s coming like this [Woosh!]. You feel what you have to do. In tennis you don’t have time to think.

“Before the match, I see what I want to do and you have to do it on the court. You have to take the right decisions.

“In life, I try to be like this also. In life, when I have to take a decision, big or not big, but when I have to take a decision, I try to take it quickly. Because, you know, you don’t have to think too much about that. Life is too short.”