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Schiavone shocks Henin in Dubai quarters

By Sports Network -- The Sports Network

Unseeded Italian Francesca Schiavone stunned two-time defending champion Justine Henin in Thursday's quarterfinal action at the $1.5 million Dubai Tennis Championships.

Schiavone topped the top-seeded/world No. 1 Henin in a pair of tiebreaks, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4), on the hardcourts at Dubai Tennis Stadium. Schiavone was 0-7 lifetime against Henin prior to Thursday.

The amazing Henin had won four of the last five titles here and was a perfect 17-0 in Dubai before falling to the veteran Schiavone. Henin titled back-to- back here in 2003 and 2004, skipped the 2005 edition because of an injury, and titled here back-to-back, again, in 2006 and last year.

The reigning U.S. and French Open titlist Henin topped France's Amelie Mauresmo in last year's Dubai finale. Mauresmo, like Henin, also bowed out here on Day 4, as second-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova handled the unseeded Frenchwoman 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).

Fourth-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic landed in the semifinals with a 6-1 victory over sixth-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze, who retired after the first set due to a left thigh injury. Jankovic will tangle with the 2004 Dubai runner-up Kuznetsova here on Friday.

The 2008 Dubai titlist will collect $250,000.