Henin, Williams have something to prove in grudge semi-final

Justine Henin charges into Friday evening's semi-final at The US Open tennis determined to finally get over the top of Venus Williams.

After defeating sister Serena in the quarter-finals, the world number one Belgian is determined to double up at the last Grand Slam event of the season.

Despite winning six career Grand Slam titles, including a fourth French Open in the spring, Henin beat Venus Williams for the only time in her career on clay in Stuttgart six years ago.

In the interim, the American has taken seven straight.

"It will be a good challenge for me to play both sisters in the same tournament," said Henin. "Every match is a final for me now. There is a lot of expectations for sure.

"But I just go match after match, step by step. It's great to be again in the semis," she added. "The best will get to the end, so we'll see."

Williams, who won the US Open back-to-back in 2000 and 2001, also has something to prove by way of revenge against the player who left her little sister in tears after a solid thrashing.

"I wasn't happy with the result at all, to say the very least," she said of her sibling's Serena's fate at Flushing Meadows. "I was sad that Serena lost because I didn't like to see her so upset.

"I definitely have to try to win for Williams."

The Americans played a limited schedule while Henin has also been sighted only occasionally on court over the summer after exhausting herself in Paris and Wimbledon.

"I really, really want it. I'm doing everything for it," said Henin, last year's New York finalist.

In the second semi-final, 2004 winner Svetlana Kuznetsova takes on Russian compatriot Anna Chakvetadze, a 20-year-old on the rise after back-to-back hardcourt titles this summer.

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