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WORLD SPORT

Henin-Hardenne enjoys revenge win

Hingis and Clijsters also progress in Paris

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Henin-Hardenne set the record straight against her Italian opponent

PARIS, France -- Defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne avenged one of her most disappointing defeats on Saturday when she dispatched Italian Tathiana Garbin 6-4 6-0 to reach the French Open fourth round.

The Belgian was also defending her crown in 2004 when she lost in the second round to Garbin in straight sets and the fifth seed was in an unforgiving mood this time.

Israel's Shahar Peer provided the day's upset, putting out Russian sixth seed Elena Dementieva.

Peer, who is still doing her military service, won 6-4 7-5.

It earns the 19-year-old a fourth round tie against comeback queen Martina Hingis.

Swiss Hingis, the 12th seed, took just 45 minutes to defeat Croatia's Ivana Lisjak 6-1 6-1.

It was her ninth straight win on clay to move within one match of reaching the French Open quarterfinals for the first time in five years.

"There are things I am better at and things I am worse at," she said referring to the way she played when she "retired" from the sport three years ago aged just 22 under the strain of injuries and mental burnout.

"I mean I'm not 18 anymore, The movement and everything, you just can't hide that.

"But there's definitely more experience. I look at all things from a different perspective. And focus and concentration, that's definitely the key.

"I don't have those ups and downs any more."

Second seed Kim Clijsters also joined her Belgian compatriot Henin-Hardenne in the second week with a scrappy 6-3 6-4 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues, of Spain which featured 10 breaks of serve.

The 27th-ranked Medina Garrigues took a 3-1 lead in the first set as Clijsters struggled to find any kind of momentum.

Even after Clijsters had leveled for 3-3, she appeared to be bemused with her own inability to take control.

Sizzling forehands

Sizzling forehands were quickly followed by ugly shots into the net, leaving an exasperated Clijsters to bounce her racket off the ground.

Despite securing the set in 32 minutes with a thundering forehand winner, the second set proved to be just as annoying for the 22-year-old Belgian.

Clijsters will play 15th seed Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round after the Slovakian battled to a 6-3 3-6 10-8 win over France's Nathalie Dechy.

By contrast, Henin-Hardenne had her Italian opponent reeling, winning the last nine games to move into the fourth round where she faces 2004 champion Anastasia Myskina.

"I started the match pretty well but not aggressive enough," said the Belgian fifth seed.

"When I was down 4-3 in the first set, I just tried to go to another level. That's what I did. It worked pretty well.

"I was very aggressive. I went forward. I didn't give up a single point."

After taking a tight first set by breaking decisively for 5-4, Henin-Hardenne outclassed her 28-year-old rival with her variation and superior use of the court in the second set.

Tenth-seeded Russian Myskina, who has talked about retiring if her form does not improve this year, skipped past Serbian Ana Ivanovic 6-2 6-3.

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