Berlin: French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne humbled world number one Amelie Mauresmo at the German Open on Saturday, winning 6-1, 6-2 to set up a final with in-form Russian Nadia Petrova.

The Belgian defending champion was in blistering form on the clay at the Steffi Graf Stadium, avenging her loss to Mauresmo in the Australian Open final this year.

“I played almost my best level today,” Henin-Hardenne said.

The four-time Grand Slam winner plays second seed Petrova on Sunday in a repeat of last year’s final and holds a commanding 8-1 head-to-head record over the world number four from Moscow.

“She’s one of the best players on clay so it’s going to be tough for me,” Henin-Hardenne said. “She’s really the player with the confidence right now.”

Mauresmo had earlier ended the hopes of Swiss former world number one Martina Hingis, winning the delayed deciding set of their quarter final for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Fading light late on Friday had forced the pair to abandon the match at one set all and the powerful Frenchwoman looked short of energy for the later semi-final clash with Henin-Hardenne.

“It’s never the best scheduling but that’s the way it was and you have to adjust to that,” Mauresmo said.

“Some players would say she should not get the credit because I was tired but I wouldn’t take that option. I think she played some great tennis whatever my schedule was.”Hingis made the stronger start when the quarter final resumed, breaking in the first and third games for a 3-0 lead as Mauresmo had trouble finding her range.

The Swiss looked well placed at 4-2 but Mauresmo, the winner here in 2001 and 2004, broke back twice and sealed victory with a third service break on her first match point.

“I think I was a bit asleep in the first three games, there were a lot of mistakes and my legs weren’t working too well,” Mauresmo said.

“Then I started to wake up and got back into the match and was playing with much more intensity and consistency.” (Reuters)