Williams takes revenge on Henin

Williams overcame injury to lift the trophy

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Serena Williams exacted sweet revenge over Justine Henin as she beat the Belgian in two tight sets to win the Rome Masters.

Henin had last week beaten the American in the Berlin final, but the tables were turned at the Foro Italico as Williams prevailed 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.

"It was a tough win," Williams said, before adding in Italian, "Rome is in my heart."

The early games went with serve, with the first notable incident coming in game seven at deuce.

Williams, who already had a heavily strapped right thigh, pulled up in pain as she turned after playing a backhand and needed five minutes of on-court treatment on her right ankle.

Henin visibly wilted in the second set

But when she resumed she seemed unaffected and the tightly-contested set continued with Williams attacking and Henin producing some outstanding defence.

At 5-4 Henin finally faltered, going down to 0-40 with Williams looking poised to claim the set.

However, the feisty 19-year-old saved all of them to level and the set duly went to a tie-break.

The American quickly took a 6-4 lead in the tie-break but Henin, who herself had a heavily-bandaged left leg, saved both set points, the second with a brilliant backhand pass.

But Williams, watched by mother Oracene and sister Venus who pulled out of this tournament at short notice on Tuesday, finally wrapped up the set in 69 minutes with her sixth set point and third in the tie-break.

Squandered

The early stages of the second set were also fairly even but in game seven Henin appeared to wilt.

At 15-40 she saved two break points but could not defend a third as Williams edged into the lead.

Williams immediately squandered the advantage in the next game, but Henin again lost her serve to allow the American to serve for the match.

Williams took the second of her match points when Henin hit her service return long, claiming a victory that will stand her in good stead ahead of the French Open later this month.