Stuttgart - World number one Justine Henin kept her perfect record against Jelena Jankovic, winning 7-6 (7-2), 7-4, on Saturday to reach the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Henin overcame some late hiccups in the first set and a 4-1 deficit in the second en route to a hard-fought victory in 1 hour 54 minutes - her eighth in as many meetings between the two.
"I don't know what to say. I have lost to her so many times. I don't know what I need to do to beat her," wondered Jankovic.
The Belgian Henin said: "It's been tough again, we have great fights."
In the final on Sunday for a Porsche 911 turbo sportscar or 92,410 dollars, Henin meets unseeded Tatiana Golovin of France, who made the final the second year in a row with a surprisingly easy 6-2, 6-4 win over erratic Russian world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova.
"Maybe the Porsche is for me this time. Justine is so tough, she is number one and has played well all year," said Golovin, who now has three wins in four matches with Kuznetsova.
Henin said: "She (Golovin) will have nothing to lose. Every one wants to beat the number one."
Henin failed to serve out the first set at 5-3 and wasted a set point at 5-4.
In the second she fought back from the early 4-1 deficit and break points for 5-1. She got the deciding break for 6-5 when Jankovic hit a backhand stroke wide. She served out the match at love, winning on a netted volley by Jakovic.
The score virtually identical with the one from their last meeting in the Toronto final in July which Henin won 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.
"I thought the set was almost over, but then I kept my serve and came back," said Henin in reference to the 4-1 deficit.
Jankovic said: "At 4-1 I got tired and she took her chances. My game dropped. I am right there with her, but she always comes out strong against me. (But) my time will come."
Henin made her ninth final of the year, having won a tour-leading seven titles - including the French and US Open, and losing only one decider. She stretched her unbeaten run since a Wimbledon semi-final loss to Marion Bartoli in early July to 15-0.
She is bidding for her first Stuttgart title after being a losing finalist in 2001 and 2003.
Golovin is in her sixth career final after a comfortable win over Kuznetsova, who said she was unable to recover from an emotional win over Serena Williams the previous night.
"I didn't feel recovered and didn't have this will again. I felt I had nothing inside me," said Kuznetsova.
"I didn't make it difficult for her. That was not me. I was impatient, made mistakes. I was not at my best."
