The defending champion Justine Henin was sensationally beaten 7-6(3) 7-6(4) by unseeded Italian Francesca Schiavone in a nail-biting quarterfinal match that kept the stadium crowd enthralled for almost two and a half hours.

The world number 1, hitherto unbeaten in Dubai on a 17 match winning streak and a winner here 4 times in the last 5 years (she did not play in 2005), battled back from a set and 2-5 down to force a second set tiebreaker. In the end though it was not enough as her tenacious opponent mixed up her game to perfection, often coming in to volley away winners into the open court.

Having claimed the opening set breaker 7-3, she took the match in the second set breaker on her second match point; driving her forehand deep into Henin's backhand corner which the Belgian under extreme pressure could not control.

"I told myself in the second set tiebreak to push now or go home", Schiavone said after failing to close out the match earlier on. "I tried to push and be aggressive and I think I did this often. I didn't push hard enough before when I had the chance; she is so strong that you have to play every point like a match point."

Schiavone was delighted that her volleying was compared to that of the legendary Martina Navratilova in her prime: "Thank you very much!" she beamed. "I watched her a lot when I was growing up. She had amazing volleys."

Henin felt that her 3 hour epic with Katerina Srebotnik the night before was a factor but was quick to downplay it: "I was a bit tired, but I don't want to make excuses", she said. "She played a better match. She really took her chances and played better than me. She took charge of the net off short balls and I didn't do the same

"I'm not playing at my best level and so I need to go away and prepare and be ready for the next few events."

Schiavone will play the winner of Anna Ivanovic v Elena Dementieva. The other semi-final will feature second seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova and the number four seed Jelena Jankovic. Kuznetsova accounting for 2002 champion Amelie Mauresmo 6-1 7-6(4) and Jankovic benefiting from Anna Chakvetadze retiring at 1-4 down with a left thigh injury.

Andre Jones

Dubai