TENNIS in DEPTH.

Former world number one Justine Henin has been forced to retire from tennis for the second time because of a recurring elbow injury.

The 28-year-old Belgian announced the news on her website stating that her elbow had been “damaged” during the recent Australian Open.

“In these recent months I have rarely been spared of the pain,” she said.

“The doctors told me my elbow is too fragile and therefore I cannot continue my profession at this high level.”

Henin’s final match was a third-round defeat by Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova in Melbourne last weekend.

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Not only has Li conceded the fewest games of the four semifinalists (26), she also has a perfect 2-0 record against Wozniacki in Australia, have beaten the Dane at both Sydney and Melbourne 12 months ago. And although she is the underdog on paper, the 28-year-old probably holds the outcome of this match in her hands. Naturally more aggressive than the world No.1, and on balance more powerful, she’ll be the one making the plays. If she executes, her 10 match winning streak will get longer, carrying her to China’s first Grand Slam final. Of course, Wozniacki has also improved considerably over the past year, and the first-time Australian Open semifinalist will do her best to make Li play that extra ball every time. With the No.1 ranking assured, it’s now all about winning the title for her.

As spectacular as Clijsters’ return to the game has been, Zvonareva has more or less owned the Belgian in this second phase of her career. Last year the pair met four times, and the Russian won three of them – at Wimbledon, Montréal and the WTA Championships. Of course, today’s encounter is a rematch of the US Open final, which Clijsters won with breathtaking efficiency. But she will surely be expecting a tougher outing this time. Zvonareva was all business against Petra Kvitova in the quarters, and though seeded higher, may feel less pressure for the fact that this isn’t the final. And, as Agnieszka Radwanska showed against Clijsters in the last round, especially in the second set, it is possible to find chinks in the brilliant Belgian’s arsenal. Whoever prevails today will be No.2 in the world next Monday.

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Andy Murray moved into the semi-finals of the Australian Open by beating Alexandr Dolgopolov in four sets – and he won’t have to play Rafael Nadal in the last four. The British number one looked a touch vulnerable when he dropped his first set of the tournament but found another gear when it mattered to come through 7-5 6-3 6-7 (3/7) 6-3 in three hours and six minutes. He had been expected to meet Nadal in the semi-finals, but the world number one was clearly injured as he slumped to a straight-sets defeat to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer. However, Murray is still likely to have to up his level considerably if he is to prevail against Ferrer after a display against Dolgopolov which was inconsistent at best.

“It was very tough,” Murray said afterwards. “Every point against him is different, he hits the ball differently to everyone else, it’s tough to explain. “I struggled with my rhythm early on and he came back in the third set but I thought I did well enough.”

Dolgopolov, the world number 46 who beat seeds Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Robin Soderling in his previous two matches, had numerous opportunities to take a grip on the match but too often let Murray off the hook with moments of carelessness, a trait he will have to eradicate is he is to make the most of his undoubted potential.

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David Ferrer defeated an injury-stricken Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-2 6-3 to set up a semi-final against Andy Murray at the Australian Open. Top seed Nadal had his left thigh strapped early in the first set and the heavy-hitting Ferrer showed his friend and fellow Spaniard little mercy. Ferrer feasted on Nadal’s weakened serve as he moved into a two-set lead. And while Nadal hung in gamely, seventh seed Ferrer held his nerve to secure a semi-final debut in Melbourne. It was the first time the 24-year-old Nadal had lost in a major since retiring hurt against Murray in last year’s Australian Open quarter-finals. And injury destroyed the world number one’s dream of holding all four majors simultaneously – the so-called ‘Rafa Slam’ – on Rod Laver Arena.

Ferrer, 28, had the nine-time major winner on the back foot from the outset, going blow for blow from the back of the court and hitting winners at will from both flanks. Nadal, who had won 12 of the previous 15 meetings between the two and all of the last eight, was taken to eight deuces in his first service game before being broken when he plonked a tame backhand into the net. Nadal broke back straightaway, sealing the game with a cute angled backhand, before immediately calling for a medical time-out and trudging disconsolately from the court. The 2009 champion returned with his left thigh heavily strapped – he appeared to tweak something in his fourth-round victory over Marin Cilic – and his body language suggested he was far from comfortable. Ferrer sealed another break courtesy of a threaded backhand down the line but there were signs Nadal’s treatment was starting to have an effect in the next game, with one whipped forehand winner closely followed by a trademark fist-pump. Indeed, Nadal broke back in the next game to make it 5-4, Ferrer suddenly tightening with his opponent at his mercy, only for Nadal to drop serve again, as well as his first set of the championship. Typically, Nadal came out swinging at the start of the second set, breaking Ferrer to love. But Ferrer responded in kind, producing one of the shots of the fortnight, a forehand winner down the line, to make the score 2-2. There followed a 10-minute break for fireworks, it being Australia Day, about which Nadal did not look particularly happy. And when play resumed Ferrer stepped up a gear, hammering away at the brittle Nadal serve and firing winners from both sides as he reeled off the next four games. With Nadal little more than a husk, Ferrer began to bully proceedings in the third set, racing into a 3-0 lead. And while Nadal demonstrated his survival instincts in creating two break points at 1-3 down, Ferrer was ruthless in snuffing out any signs of revival, unfurling a wicked forehand down the line before holding with a wrong-footing backhand.

Nadal showed tantalising glimpses of his normal self in holding his next two service games – his serve was broken seven times in total – but he had no answer to his opponent’s serve and Ferrer stayed focused to close out the match.

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Novak Djokovic powered into the Australian Open semi-finals after beating Tomas Berdych in straight sets. The third seed won 6-1 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 in two hours and 32 minutes to set up a semi-final clash with defending champion Roger Federer, who proved too strong for Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka earlier. Djokovic was 4-1 down in the second set but hit back to take it to the breaker which he won to break Berdych’s spirit. The first and third were more straightforward. Djokovic broke for a 2-1 lead early on and then again for 5-1 as the Czech struggled to find his range. But, after saving two break points early in the second, Berdych started to fire. He established a 4-1 lead and seemed to be on his way to levelling it up. But Djokovic hit back to cancel out the break and, with the roof now closed due to the threat of showers, it went to the breaker. A mini-break was claimed by each player before the world number three struck again on set point. And with that the momentum was firmly with Djokovic and he broke twice in the third to cruise through. “In a lot of the points I was trying to change the pace because when he is in his comfort zone he is a very dangerous player,” said Djokovic. “The second set was very close and I was very lucky to win the breaker.

“It was a huge confidence boost to win that set and it meant I could go for my shots. “I am taking one match at a time but if I continue playing like this I have a good chance. “But in my next match I have Federer – he is the best player there has ever been – so we will see.”

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World number one Caroline Wozniacki hit back from a set down to finally break the resolve of Francesca Schiavone and move into the Australian Open semi-finals. Schiavone, who needed four hours and 44 minutes to squeeze past Svetlana Kuznetsova in the longest women’s match in grand slam history in the previous round, fought valiantly but ran out of gas after a fine start to go down 3-6 6-3 6-3 . Credit must go to Wozniacki: a set and a break down, it would have been easy for her to start doubting herself and give in to those who have questioned her ability to win a major despite rising to the top of the world rankings. But she kept her composure and waited for Schiavone to tire, which she inevitably did. The top seed goes on to a meeting with Li Na, who ended the run of Andrea Petkovic earlier, although French Open Schiavone will take many of the plaudits. The 30-year-old survived three early break points before making her move, claiming the Dane’s serve for a 5-3 lead. Wozniacki threatened an immediate response by racing to 15-40 but two big serves got the Italian out of trouble, as it did when the world number one threatened again.

A brilliant low volley saw Schiavone then move to set point and she closed it out by sneaking into the net behind a looping forehand and putting the ball into the opposite corner. Wozniacki took a medical time-out at the end of the set for treatment on an upper leg injury and shortly after returning she was broken as Schiavone surged into a 3-1 lead. It appeared the match was drifting away from the top seed but she battled on and finally made the breakthrough, although she was assisted by her opponent, who made four horrible errors to concede her advantage. And it proved a turning point as Wozniacki ran through the rest of the set to level it up. The momentum was firmly with the Dane and, although she saw an early break wiped out, she struck again to go 2-1 up and as Schiavone finally started to fade, she took full advantage. A stunning lob gave her a 5-2 lead and although Schiavone saved three match points to make it 5-3, Wozniacki was not to be denied.

“It was very difficult,” Wozniacki admitted afterwards. “Francesca was playing well at the start. It was tough for me to get the right rhythm and I was making mistakes on the important points. “I just told myself to take one ball at a time and don’t give up. “If you get the chance, you need to take it now, otherwise it’s going to be too late.”

The Dane, who will retain the number one spot after reaching the semis, believes both her and ninth seed Li have improved since met here 12 months ago. “I lost to her here last year. She’s a really good player and she hasn’t lost a match this year yet. “She won in Sydney and she is on a roll. “I think Li has improved a lot, but I also believe I have. “I am going to go in there, fight for every point, and just see what happens.” Schiavone conceded she started to struggle as the match went on. “I had my chances but in the third set I felt something physically, but it’s not an excuse. I think I gave the best I could,” she said. “I am a little bit disappointed, I am a tennis player and always want more especially when I have chances but today I didn’t do it. “But with everything else I am positive.

“I think I have a good chance to keep going, improving and getting good results.”

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Kim Clijsters completed the quarter-final line-up at the Australian Open, although she was made to struggle by Ekaterina Makarova. The Belgian third seed is the bookmakers’ favourite to go all the way and land her first title in Melbourne, but she encountered some stiff resistance from Makarova before finally edging through 7-6 (7/3) 6-2. “She is a tricky player and a left-hander – we don’t get them too often so you have to have a different mindset, especially with the returns,” said Clijsters. “She is a good player and it was a good match.”

Clijsters earned a quick break but was broken back immediately as Makarova levelled it up. US Open champion Clijsters threatened again at 6-5 by setting up two set points on the Russian’s serve, but could not land the killer blow as it ended up going to the tie-break. Her greater experience told in the breaker, however, as she upped the tempo to take the first set. The second was more straightforward as Makarova started to struggle. She was broken twice as Clijsters advanced to a meeting with Agnieszka Radwanska. Pole Radwanska moved into the quarters in Melbourne for the second time in her career thanks to a 7-5 3-6 7-5 victory over Shuai Peng.

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Vera Zvonareva sealed her place in the Australian Open quarter-finals with a comfortable 6-3 6-1 win over unseeded Iveta Benesova. The Russian, a semi-finalist in 2009, edged a scrappy first set but was in cruise-control in the second to come through in one hour 16 minutes. Zvonareva will play Petra Kvitova for a last-four spot at Melbourne Park. Kvitova, the world number 25 who beat Sam Stosur in round three, fought back to see off Flavia Pennetta 3-6 6-3 6-3. The 20-year-old Czech struggled with her serve as she lost the first set but steadied her game to level the match. Pennetta, Italy’s 22nd seed, was broken to trail 4-2 in the decider as Kvitova piled on the pressure to eventually ease through on Hisense Arena.

Zvonareva, 26, was broken early in the first set by her Czech opponent and trailed 4-2 before recovering to win the next four games and take a close opening set. The second seed had few problems in the second and breezed through with 21 winners and four aces as she broke her opponent’s serve five times. “I was happy at the way I was able to come back when I was 4-2 down in the first set,” said the Russian, who is looking for her first Grand Slam trophy having come so close as runner-up at last-year’s Wimbledon and US Open. On facing Kvitova, a surprise semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year, Zvonareva added: “She’s had a great run here and beaten Sam Stosur and now Flavia so I know how tough that match is going to be.

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