World No. 1 Justine Henin on Sunday won the title of the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp for the first time, defeating Italy's Karin Knapp in straight sets in the final.

 

The 25-year-old Henin, playing in her 57th final, was dominant from the start of the match, breaking the 47th-ranked Knapp in the third game before winning the first set 6-3.

 

Twenty-year-old Knapp was in her first final of a WTA tournament after downing China's Li Na in the semi-finals on Saturday.

 

In the second set, Henin's serve percentage dropped considerably and quite often had to work her way through break points. Knapp served well, but could not finish off the crucial points.

 

A break in the sixth game was enough for Henin to win the second set 6-3 to claim her first title at the Antwerp tournament. In 2002, Henin lost the final to Venus Williams.

 

This was the final year of the 600,000-US-dollar Antwerp tournament after a WTA calendar revision which will take effect in 2009.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2008)