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Posted at 6:38 a.m., Sunday, October 21, 2007

Tennis: Henin wins Zurich Open for 9th title of season

By ERICA BULMAN
AP Sports Writer

ZURICH, Switzerland — Justine Henin won her ninth title of the season today, beating 19-year-old Tatiana Golovin of France 6-4, 6-4 at the Zurich Open.

Both players saved break points early in the match, but the hard-hitting Golovin converted her second break opportunity when Henin's backhand went wide to lead 2-1.

Golovin went up 4-1 before the top-ranked Belgian rebounded to win the final five games en route to her 20th consecutive win in 13 tournaments this season.

"That really changed the match," Henin said of the five-game stretch. "She put me under pressure, but slowly and surely I came back."

Golovin also lost to Henin in the Porsche Grand Prix final two weeks ago.

"I was up 4-1. I should have been able to finish up the set," she said. "I need to learn to deal with this kind of situation. Obviously she didn't want to lose so she changed something and I didn't.

"I needed to be more aggressive and not let her into the match."

Golovin called a medical timeout at 5-4 because an ankle brace was irritating the skin on her left foot.

Henin also had injury problems. She took painkillers for sore ribs on her left side that she hurt during Saturday's semifinals.

The second set opened with two straight breaks before Henin took control and eventually put the match away with an ace.

Henin, whose previous best year was in 2003 when she won eight titles, has earned $4,282,886 this season, the most in her career.