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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 6:56 a.m., Sunday, February 17, 2008

Tennis: Henin tops Knapp for Diamond Games title

By RAF CASERT
AP Sports Writer

ANTWERP, Belgium — Justine Henin won her second tournament of the year today, beating Karin Knapp of Italy 6-3, 6-3 at the Diamond Games.

The top-ranked Belgian rarely produced sparkling tennis during a week in which she did not play a single seeded player, but her experience was enough to win her home tournament in front of 13,600 fans at the Sports Palace.

"It was a tough week for me," said Henin, who won her 41st career title and has now won the last 10 finals she has played in. "But I wanted to clinch this one. It was great to win in Belgium."

Henin's first WTA victory on home soil in five years further reinforced her top ranking. She won in Sydney before losing to Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, the only blemish on her season so far.

Knapp, ranked 47th, was the toughest opponent Henin played in Antwerp. But the 20-year-old Italian, playing in her first WTA final, looked out of her depth.

"I'd never thought I'd get this far," she said. "I get to play Justine, and in a full hall like this. It was great."

Knapp survived the opening round of a tournament for the first time this year and her runner-up finish will likely propel her to 36th in the rankings.

Henin struggled with her serve all week, but with the diamond-studded trophy racket gleaming in the background, she concentrated and served more aces than double-faults — four to one — to take the title.

After losing to Sharapova in Melbourne, Henin took time off to let a tender right knee heal and regain some composure.

In both sets Sunday, Henin won an early break and was solid enough in the back court to withstand Knapp.