Henin displays muscle

NEW YORK - Don't invite Justine and Serena to the same party. They start swinging clubs at each other. Nevertheless, there they were last night on the blue ballroom floor, going at it for the 12th time, and 23,737 fans at the fete were satisfied to watch the pair of champions slug it out.

The affair was a quarterfinal of the US Open, a competition both have won. Serena was the first of the Williams sorority to triumph at Ashe Stadium as a 17-year-old in 1999, repeating five years ago. But she isn't going to win it this time because the rust is showing - it's her first tournament since Wimbledon - and the sparkling Belgian waffled her, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.

Second-seeded Nadal is stunned by Ferrer. D8.

This did not please the full-house congregation very much; they mostly backed the American in her formal black gown. But they also were respectful of Justine Henin in orange jersey and white cap, and could see why she is currently No. 1.

If this was your first glance at the global rivalry, you would have cried, "Stop the fight!" before it began. It looked like a mismatch: robust Serena against scrawny Justine. You'd have to be Sherlock Holmes to find any muscles on Justine. But somehow, through coordination and willpower, she blasts away with lethal line-drive groundies. Her presence recalls another great mite named Ken Rosewall, who was called "Muscles" by his Aussie brethren. But that sort of guy sarcasm wouldn't fit her.

Henin's forehand now measures up to her celebrated one-handed backhand, and her serve is becoming more formidable. In movement and retrieving, she's a sprite who gets it right.

Sullen and scoring few graciousness points, Williams said Henin made a "lot of lucky shots" and that she lost the match more than Henin won it. "Too many errors for me" -- 28 to Henin's 22.

Yet stung by her final-round loss to Serena six months ago in the Key Biscayne final, despite holding two match points, Henin has pushed herself hard to win their last three meetings to pull even in the feud at 6-6: the French Open, Wimbledon, and now Flushing Meadow.

Still, Serena might have turned it around had she cashed a set point in the 12th game. However, Henin banged a service winner, then closed the game with an ace to send them into the tiebreaker. There, Henin got a mini-break to 3-2 with a ripping backhand return. She then rammed an ace down the middle and belted a forehand winner, screaming, "Allez," and was up, 5-2. She never was close to being caught in the battle that lasted 1 hour 37 minutes. "I played every point 100 percent in the tiebreaker," said Henin. "I was very nervous, but I cruised after that."

Henin, who had rolled a bagel in each of her four previous victories, might have collared Serena with another but the loser dodged around a deuce to win the fourth game of the second set on serve.

"I wasn't aggressive enough in the first set," said Henin, who might have won it sooner by holding serve in the 10th game. "I got nervous then" and blew a forehand. "I made up my mind to be more aggressive in the second, coming to the net more, and it worked. It was satisfying to beat her on a hard court. I never did before."

The Williams sorority remains in force in the form of Venus, up against Jelena Jankovic tonight in another quarter. Henin smiled that it would be something if she had to beat both sisters to carry the US for a second time.

Memorable was her victorious struggle four years ago, beating Jennifer Capriati and Kim Clijsters in succession. Ten times she was 2 points from defeat as she and Capriati fought into the wee hours. Henin, exhausted and dehydrated, had to be treated intravenously after the 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) decision over Capriati. She had to save a set point in the first to beat Clijsters, 7-5, 6-1.

There will be more slugging parties for Serena and Justine, and they will sell out more ballrooms. Why? "Because," Justine said, "every point we play against each other is so hard."

One of the admiring customers was singer Tony Bennett, who had a hit called "Cold, Cold Heart." It could be Henin's theme when she plays tennis.