Exhausted Henin-Hardenne runs out of puff

LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) Justine Henin-Hardenne found the task of winning two grand slams in the space of six weeks just beyond her today.

The Belgian lost 2-6 6-3 6-4 to France's Amelie Mauresmo in the Wimbledon final, four weeks after she had retained her French Open crown.

''Today I wasn't playing my best tennis, far from it,'' said the 24-year-old, whose defeat meant she failed to complete a career grand slam.

''You need to accept it and to move forward. I tried to stay positive but maybe I wasn't fresh enough to win this match.'' Serena Williams is the only woman in the last decade to have won Wimbledon straight after winning the French Open but Henin-Hardenne has not given up hope of emulating her.

''I was pretty close to doing it, so it means it is possible,'' she said. ''I was just a set away from it.

''I think I can do it. It is difficult, for sure, because it's two grand slams and it's a lot of pressure. To win two grand slams in a month is pretty hard.'' Henin-Hardenne has been named in the Belgium team for next weekend's Fed Cup semi-final against the United States in Ostend but seems certain to miss the tie in order to rest.

''Now I'm very tired because I know it's over,'' she said. ''In the last six weeks I played five of them, two grand slams and a tournament between them. I've no regrets about that.

''I played a lot, so now I will need a little bit of break.

It's been pretty tough mentally maybe more than physically in these last few weeks.'' REUTERS SY KP2315