Henin can bounce back with Fed Cup crown

CHARLEROI, Belgium, Sep 13 (Reuters) World number two Justine Henin-Hardenne can put the disappointment of her US Open final defeat behind her when she leads Belgium out against Italy in the Fed Cup final this weekend.

The French Open champion, beaten by Maria Sharapova in Saturday's final in New York, returns after missing Belgium's semi-final through exhaustion and gives her side a much-needed boost after the withdrawal of Kim Clijsters.

Clijsters, who was replaced as world number three by Sharapova on Monday, played a key role in helping her country reach the final but a recurrence of a wrist injury forced her out of action for two months.

Sources close to Clijsters said she will not be attending the final.

''She doesn't want to distract the team from the task in hand,'' said one. ''But she will phone them and wish them well beforehand.'' Ironically, Henin-Hardenne was urged not to attend the semi-final against the United States as organisers feared the crowd could have turned against her for not playing.

It took a meeting between the player and Belgian officials to resolve the matter after Henin-Hardenne also threatened to boycott the final.

The absence of 23 year-old Clijsters is a huge blow to the home country, who won the title in 2001 when she and Henin-Hardenne teamed up to beat Russia in the final in Spain.

It was that same combination which saw off 2004 and 2005 champions Russia in the first round in April, before Clijsters and Kirsten Flipkens combined to see off a much-weakened United States in the semi-finals in July.

On paper, the pendulum seems to have swung towards the Italians who are aiming for their first Fed Cup crown.

Belgium have never beaten their visitors in six meetings, while both of Italy's ties on the way to final were on foreign soil.

World number 14 Francesca Schiavone is the top ranked player in Italy's squad which also includes Flavia Pennetta, ranked five places lower along with Mara Santangelo and Roberta Vinci who are ranked 33 and 90 respectively.

The Italians have been in terrific form, dropping just two matches throughout the competition to date.

They easily inflicted France's first-ever opening round defeat, winning 4-1, and convincingly saw off Spain 3-1 in the semi-finals.

REUTERS PDS PM0943