Justine Serves Notice

I don't think Justine Henin has anything left to prove to anyone. She might have lost this match tonight, but she has sent a message to the WTA world - JuJu is back, and she means business.

There was only one difference between Serena and Justine that I could see today, and it was on serve. If Justine could get a few more free points on her serve (and if Serena hadn't had quite so many) then the result could have been quite different. JuJu needs to get her percentage up on her first serve, though she is getting some great pop on the second. Because, seriously, I think that was the only real difference here today.

Perhaps the things that were lacking in JuJu's serve were highlighted by the excellence of Serena, because, seriously, she served like a real champion today. Probably because she is a real champion. She was especially great on the break points and assorted other big points - when it counted, she came up with those excellent serves into the corners. She played some really excellent stuff today - I agreed with the commentators that said she'd peaked when she played Stosur and hadn't been quite so good in the two ensuing matches, but she really came to the court tonight.

And so did Justine. These two are clearly the two greatest female tennis players of the noughties, and it is so great that their rivalry can continue into the next decade. Both have the minds, the games and the hearts of champions, and it is only appropriate that they faced off here. And I don't think this is the last we've seen of this rivalry.

Bring on Roland Garros. Bring on JuJu on clay. Bring on - I'm going to say it - the WTA. Because JuJu's home and she's going to make everyone play better. Because she is one of the best there is.

Allez!