Victory comes Justine time for Belgian ace

Justine Henin-Hardenne survived blisters and thigh cramps to record her first ever victory over former champion Lindsay Davenport in a titanic battle at the Australian Open that lasted three hours and 15 minutes.

The number five seed endured a dramatic second-set comeback from Davenport, and then produced a thrilling one of her own in the decider to book a quarter-final clash against Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual.

Henin-Hardenne eventually secured an incredible 7-5 5-7 9-7 victory, having twice received treatment in the final set, to reach the last eight for the second successive year.

Davenport, the tournament’s number nine seed, appeared dead and buried when the Belgian, already a set up, held three break points for a 5-1 lead in the second set.

But out of adversity she forced an incredible sea-change, saving all three of those breakpoints before breaking twice in a run of five games to take the set.

Henin-Hardenne had treatment for blisters after falling a break down in the final set and was on the brink of defeat herself before pulling back two breaks of serve to level at 4-4.

The pair, physically drained, then exchanged two more breaks of serve before, at 7-7, Henin-Hardenne called her second medical time-out after crumpling with cramps.

She played on in obvious pain, but found amazing depths to eventually clinch a remarkable match.

Medical staff immediately ran over to give her treatment after the match, and Henin-Hardenne admitted: “I thought I was going to die.

“The crowd gave me a lot of support. I played with my heart and I just went for it.

“I was cramping and I thought the match was over for me. The match was really tough, I just wanted to end it. I wanted to give everything I could.”

With compatriot Kim Clijsters flying the Belgian flag in the top half of the draw, there is a chance both could reach the final for what would be an historic clash.

But to get there, the pair are likely to have to meet a Williams sister each in the semi-finals.

Serena plays her fourth-round tie tomorrow, while Venus outbattled defiant Australian Nicole Pratt.

The tournament’s second seed eventually raised her game just enough to battle through with a 6-3 6-2 victory that was far closer than the scoreline suggests.

Williams was not surprised at how hard Pratt fought in front of her home crowd and in the fourth round for the first time.

“I was expecting her to play really well,” she said. “This is her first appearance in the round of 16. More than anything I know she’s a good competitor, no matter what the score is, how far down she was.”

Williams will now meet seventh seed Daniela Hantuchova in an enticing quarter-final, after the Slovakian completed a straight-sets win over Patty Schnyder.

Hantuchova, who had never previously been beyond the third round here, won 7-5 6-3.

Ruano Pascual reached only her second Grand Slam quarter-final – the other coming in the 1995 French Open – with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Denisa Chadlokova.