When Justine Henin-Hardenne told a press conference 'Impossible is Nothing,' it became a phrase which launched thousands of advertising posters and sold countless trainers.

But beating the odds is second nature to the 23-year-old Belgian who has set her sights on a second French Open title when she takes on veteran Mary Pierce in Saturday's final here.

Lean and pint-sized at a petite 1.67m and tipping the scales at 57kg, the girl from Liege was told she would never make it as a professional in a world dominated by behemoths.

But she has gone on to collect 22 tour titles, including three Grand Slams, amassing over US$8 million in the process. She has also overcome painful episodes in her private life.

She has endured a split with her father Jose but her biggest setback was as a 12-year-old watching her mother Francoise die from cancer in 1994.

It was Francoise who gave her daughter a love of tennis, bringing her star-struck daughter to Roland Garros as a 10-year-old to watch Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.

From that point on, Henin-Hardenne was hooked and when she won her first Grand Slam here in 2003, it was to her mother that her thoughts turned.

"I would like to dedicate this victory to my mother, who is watching over me in heaven. I hope you are very proud of me, mum," Henin-Hardenne said after her final win over compatriot Kim Clijsters.

"She gave me all the energy I needed to win the match. When I woke up this morning, I said: 'You'll have to win. You'll have to do it for your mother'."

Henin-Hardenne, who only returned to the tour in April this year after seven months on the sidelines due to a mystery virus and then a fractured knee, reached Saturday's final with a comprehensive 6-2, 6-3 win over Russia's Nadia Petrova.

It was a win which came just a day after her 23rd birthday.

"It's amazing to reach the final after what's happened to me over the last few months," said Henin-Hardenne.

"It is the best birthday gift. If I ever play only one more Grand Slam final in my career, I would wish it to be here because this is a very special place for me with lots of memories."

Roland Garros may be special, but it's been a demanding friend in 2005.

Henin-Hardenne has endured three-set marathons in three of her six rounds here and had to save two match points to get past US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the round of 16.

Those examinations have led to problems with her back, but she is determined to dig out one last effort against Pierce to whom she has never lost.

"I am getting tired, I have played a lot of tennis but I was happy to close the match easily," she said.

"My legs are feeling heavy, my back is not getting any better but it's not getting any worse. I need one more effort and then I will take a rest."

Pierce is back

They came to cheer Amelie Mauresmo and they ended up with Mary Pierce. French tennis fans are still scratching their heads over the suprising turn of events at the French Open.

Many thought Pierce at 30 was on her way out.

Years of injuries and weight problems had left her on the sidelines and the cheers that had marked her win at Roland Garros in 2000 turned to jeers when she lost meekly in the first round in 2003.

For most of 2004 she cut a forlorn figure, down and almost out. She considered retirement for a short while, but then decided to give it one last try to get back to where she had been.

Pierce firstly underwent a draconian weight loss programme and employed the services of eccentric Dutch mind guru Henk Kraaijenhof who uses lie detectors and stress evaluation contraptions.

She also bought an apartment in Paris to give her a French base and convinced her brother David to resume as her coach.

There were early signs in tournaments this year that she was on the way back and it was clear that her physical conditioning efforts had paid off.

But still, few thought she was capable of mounting a challenge at what is her 15th French Open campaign.

Pierce though quickly swats aside any suggestions that it is a fluke.

"I've worked very hard to get back to where I am," she said. "I believe in myself and the few people who believe in me that I have in my life have really helped me a lot to get where I am.

"I had something inside of me when I had my injuries that was telling me 'You know, you're not done. There's still something for you in tennis, still some things for you to accomplish.'"

The French have always been ambivalent about Pierce.

Born in Montreal of a French mother and an American father, she lives most of the year in Florida and on her own admission nationality wise she is something of a mixed bag.

Her first appearance at Roland Garros as a gangly, bespectacled teenager in 1990 ellicted curiosity among the Roland Garros faithful, but she was regarded as being more American than French.

Even when she reached the French Open final five years later losing to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario she says that the night before the match she had mainly been concerned about how her poor spoken French would handle a victory speech.

Another five years on and Pierce was the toast of Paris when she defeated Conchita Martinez in the French Open final to become the first home winner since Francoise Durr in 1967.

But her fall from grace after that, and her own individuality away from the French Tennis Federation, turned the public against her and then Mauresmo, home born and bred, arrived on the scene to win their favour.

Mauresmo though once again failed to deliver the goods and exited early leaving the way clear for Pierce to take centre stage once again.

Source: China Daily