Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters slotted into their allotted places in the Australian Open final on Thursday, the top two seeds ensuring a third all-Belgian final in the last four Grand Slams. Second-ranked Clijsters overcame unfancied Swiss Patty Schnyder 6-2, 7-6 while world No 1 Henin-Hardenne hammered Colombia’s Fabiola Zuluaga 6-2, 6-2.“It’s incredible for a country as small as Belgium,” Clijsters said after joining her compatriot in the final.Henin-Hardenne beat Clijsters in the French and US Open finals last season but knows that come Saturday, past results or world rankings will count for nothing. “When we go on the court it’s going to be number one against number two. It doesn’t make a big difference,” the 21-year-old said after thrashing Zuluaga.“I’m not going to be the favourite because I’m number one. I mean, we played unbelievable matches in our career. And Kim is a great player. We’ll see what’s going to happen. It’s very hard to tell you what’s going to happen. It’s a Grand Slam final.”Clijsters leads the pair’s head-to-head battles 9-8 but she will have to pick up her game after looking decidedly shaky against Swiss Schnyder. After a bright start, nerves seemed to get the better of her — something which proved costly in those finals.She did, however, brush off the ankle injury which has blighted her campaign. “My ankle is not going to get any better. But the good news is I can’t make it any worse,” she smiled. “I’ll just have to keep my mind off it.”
