Justine Henin-Hardenne clinched the year-end number one spot when she ended Maria Sharapova's 19-match winning streak with a 6-2, 7-6 win over the Russian in the semi-finals of the WTA Championships in Shanghai on Saturday.
The three-times French Open champion, who also topped the rankings in 2003, produced a wonderful display full of guile and determination to overcome the 19-year-old and secure her place in a first Championships final.
The 24-year-old took the game to Sharapova from the off and forced her opponent into a series of uncharacteristic errors with her pin-point backhand and clever serves.
Sharapova, who had not dropped a set on the way to the semis, looked bemused as the pint-sized Belgian returned everything she could throw at her and was never able to get into her stride.
Henin-Hardenne, who reached the final of all four Grand Slams this year, will play either defending champion Amelie Mauresmo or two-time winner Kim Clijsters in Sunday's final.
"I feel very happy with the way I coped with the pressure and with the aggressive way I played," she said.
"I loved the match and felt confident throughout and I thought she [Sharapova] was nervous. I took my chances.
"I'm number one now but my season is not over yet and I want to win these Championships."
Sharapova said she had been unable to match the heights of her performances in previous matches.
"I didn't feel like myself today," said the US Open winner. "There are going to be days when you are not playing your best and you hope to find ways to break through, but when you come up against someone like Justine it is not easy."
INJURED CALF
Henin-Hardenne, who returned to action this week following a two-month lay-off after injuring her calf in the Fed Cup final, made a confident start and appeared determined to try to keep the tall Russian on the move.
She won the opening game with a cleverly disguised drop shot and then broke serve after working her opponent around the court with some inch-perfect ground strokes.
The French Open champion manufactured three break points in the sixth with a wonderful passing shot down the line and went 5-1 up when Sharapova double-faulted.
The Russian broke back in the seventh, but Henin-Hardenne stayed focused and broke again to take the set after a volley error.
Sharapova tried to battle her way back into the match with her trademark lashing forehands, but Henin-Hardenne made her work for every point and held her serve with authority.
It was level pegging in the second set, but the Belgian turned the screw in the eighth game to earn herself five break points and go 5-3 up.
Sharapova refused to give up without a fight however and broke back when her opponent was serving for the match, but Henin-Hardenne kept her nerve to win through in the tie-break 7-5 and gain some measure of revenge for her defeat in the final of the US Open.
