Belgians bursting with pride

French final is cause for national celebration

Kim Clijsters: "It's always a little different and special because we know each other so well. It'll be a real Belgian slam." AP

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- The royal palace will be empty Saturday. The same for the prime minister's office. The high and mighty are lining up to to get into Roland Garros to witness one of the greatest moments in Belgian sports history. Kim Clijsters plays Justine Henin-Hardenne in the French Open final, but the winner is already known -- "Game, Set and Match for Belgium," said a headline in the daily De Morgen on the eve of the match.

Belgian tennis players were next to unknown a dozen years ago, yet steadily, one generation after another climbed their way up in the ranking to achieve Saturday's feat, an assured first Belgian Grand Slam victory.

Nobody bats an eye when the United States produces champion after champion, but for a country of 10 million, having two of the world's top three players is rare.

Clijsters vs. Henin-Hardenne Clijsters leads 7-3 Site  Surface  Round  Winner  2001            Indian Wells  hard  R32  Clijsters  French Open  clay  SF  Clijsters  Den Bosch  grass  F  Henin  2002            Sydney  hard  QF  Clijsters  Australian  hard  QF  Clijsters  Rome  clay  SF  Henin  Tour C'ship  indoor  QF  Clijsters  2003            Sydney  clay  SF  Clijsters  Antwerp  carpet  SF  Clijsters  Berlin  clay  F  Henin

"As a Belgian, it can only make you happy," IOC president Jacques Rogge told De Morgen. "It will be remembered as the greatest Belgian sporting performance ever," he said. Rogge will be in Olympic meetings on Saturday, but already insisted he'd be given a break to watch the match.

"I hope they do as well in Athens next year," he said of the upcoming Olympics.

Just about all Belgian front pages colored a rusty red, with pictures of Kim and Justine celebrating their victory on the clay court of Paris. Editorialists extrapolated the mood on the nation.

"In our country, so often defeatist ... we can reach for the sky," wrote the daily Le Soir. "In our way -- modest, stubborn and tenacious -- we can achieve a great feat."

Justine Henin-Hardenne: "It's an unbelievable situation for the whole of Belgium and it will have an enormous impact."

At a national level, the double of the Dutch-speaking Fleming Clijsters and the francophone Walloon Henin-Hardenne has brought the linguistically divided Belgians together as only sports can.

On Saturday, some Flemings will be rooting for Henin-Hardenne, a tiny overachiever amid the bulk and brawn of top women's tennis.

Francophones have long admired the power and happy-go-lucky attitude of Clijsters.

"Kim and I are both Belgians rather than Walloon and Fleming," said Henin-Hardenne. Apart from being good friends, they teamed up together to win the 2001 Federations Cup, another Belgian first.

No wonder so many politicians are lining up for a center court seat. King Albert, Queen Paola, Crown Prince Philippe and six other members of the royal family will make the 300 kilometer (185 miles) trek to Paris. They likely be joined by Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, along with much of the government and opposition leaders.

In Brussels, fans will have the chance to watch the match on a giant screen at the picturesque Grand Place square.

Belgian hasn't been so excited by its sports stars since Eddy Merckx dominated cycling in the 1960s or the national soccer team reached the World Cup semifinals in 1986.

 

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