. . . And Finally, Mauresmo Wears A Crown

THIS Australian Open women's final never really began, and never really ended. It started to the incongruous accompaniment of birds twittering loudly in the rafters of Rod Laver Arena's closed roof. It finished less than an hour later when Justine Henin-Hardenne - supporting herself on the netpost - told opponent Amelie Mauresmo that she was too ill and weak to continue. She was trailing 1-6 0-2.