Bartoli looks to improve on Seles inspiraton

LONDON: Marion Bartoli was inspired to play tennis by Monica Seles but now she hopes to achieve something her heroine never managed by winning a Wimbledon title.    However, standing in her way in Friday's semi-final is world number one Justine Henin, fresh from her fourth French Open title and aiming to clinch the only Grand Slam title to have eluded her.   

The odds are stacked against the 22-year-old Frenchwoman. She has lost both of her two meetings against the Belgian world number one, failing even to win a set.    Furthermore, this is Henin's fifth Wimbledon semi-final while Bartoli had never got beyond the third round in four previous visits to the All England Club.     

Even though Seles never won a Wimbledon title, Bartoli believes that her admiration for the world number one could carry her through against the top seed. "Monica was a big inspiration because before I was playing one-handed," said Bartoli. "But when my dad saw the French Open final in 1992 and saw Seles play Steffi Graf, he watched Monica play double-handed.    

"He told me the next day to try to play double-handed because before I was playing one hand and I was very weak, especially on my forehand side. He told me to try. The next day I played double-handed and from that day I never stopped. She was a big inspiration."   

Bartoli, who is carrying French hopes after the fourth round exit of defending champion Amelie Mauresmo, has enjoyed a memorable Wimbledon. Seeded 18, she accounted for third seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic in the last 16 before coming back from a set down to defeat Dutch teenager Michaella Krajicek in the quarter-finals.   

Despite her most recent loss to Henin in the semi-finals of the Eastbourne grasscourt tournament last month, the Geneva-based player believes her status as underdog could work in her favour on Friday. "I'm not afraid to play against the big players," she said.    "It's going to be my first time on Centre Court so I will really enjoy the moment."   

Having knocked out Serena Williams in the last eight, and with Venus Williams having disposed of second seed and 2004 champion Maria Sharapova, Henin is the overwhelming favourite to lift a first All England Club title. 

But the Belgian refuses to look too far ahead. "On Friday it's going to be another tough match. Even if on paper I'm going to be the favourite, it's going to be another kind of story on court," said the Belgian.   

Henin has been to the final here twice before - losing to Mauresmo last year and Venus Williams in 2001. It is those disappointments which have encouraged her not to look too far ahead. "It's still too early to talk about winning the title. It would mean a lot, but I still have a lot of work to do."