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Venus' victory could be costly

Venus Williams defended her Mexico Open crown (or sombrero) to win title No. 43 © Getty Images

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As the new season got underway in January, it was all about former world No. 1 Justine Henin making her comeback after 18 months out of the game. Would she be able to turn back time and win her eighth Grand Slam after just two weeks back?

She came close, but in the end it was Serena Williams who ended the fairytale, beating Henin in the final to claim Grand Slam No. 12 and draw level with Billie Jean King. But then her older sister stole the show.

Venus Williams' victory in Dubai was her 42nd career title, making her the most decorated active player, rather fittingly moving clear of Henin on 41. Then, just a week later she made it 43, defending her Mexican Open title in Acapulco. For the second year running, she had achieved the not insignificant feat of winning on clay just a week after her hard-court success.

On the face of it, things are looking pretty good for the seven-time Grand Slam champion. Two titles from three events, played 15 matches, won 14. But look a little closer and things don't look quite so secure.

In Acapulco she came startlingly close to crashing out at the quarter-final stage against a player ranked 399 in the world. Laura Pous Tio stunned Williams as she won the opening set, breaking the defending champion's serve on five occasions, including twice in the decisive set. It was a far from convincing display. Then, after putting that wobble behind her, she made an almost identical mistake, losing the opening set against Romania's Edina Gallovits before pulling through to make the final.

It is said that the mark of a true champion is they raise their game when they need it. On course to repeat her Dubai-Acapulco double, Williams lost the first set to the little-known Polona Hercog. But she pulled through and is now in strong form heading into the American hard-court season, having banked $387,000 for two weeks' work.

If her Dubai victory was a commanding one, her Acapulco title was shaky at best. Williams will turn 30 this year, and although it is credit to her that she is fit and injury-free, the series of three-setters in Mexico may have taken its toll.

February is traditionally a quiet month before the American hard-court season kicks off, followed swiftly by the clay-court and then her favoured grass, on which she has won five Wimbledon titles. The danger is that Venus has peaked too soon, and when the season cranks up a gear, she will be left floundering.

Justine Henin could be smiling after Indian Wells © Getty Images

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She will take a well-earned rest now, while the world's elite prepare for the Indian Wells tournament which begins on March 13. After the four Grand Slams, Indian Wells is one of the biggest tournaments of the year, but for the ninth year running, neither Venus nor Serena will feature. The sisters have boycotted the event since 2001, when Serena was booed in the final after Venus withdrew from their semi-final just ten minutes before she was due on court, with their father Richard claiming the crowd made racist chants.

No other top-20 player in either the men's or women's draws will be missing Indian Wells, and with the Williams sisters conspicuous by their absence, the draw has been thrown wide open. One name that will be in the mix for her first career title in nearly two years is Henin, who will be making her third appearance of the year as a wildcard. It could make for a very interesting draw.

World No. 2 Dinara Safina will be the top seed, but she is still recovering from a wrist injury and is unpredictable at best. Thailand Open champion Vera Zvonareva is the defending champion, and with Henin already having beaten Elena Dementieva, one of the season's in-form players, Henin could reach her third straight final.

In her first tournament back at the Sydney International, Henin stormed through to the final where she met Belgian rival and US Open champion Kim Clijsters, and then came up one short once more against Serena in Melbourne.

Spectators will be denied seeing two home favourites in the Williams sisters, so let's hope the draw allows for spectators to see an all-Belgian final. And then we could be back to where we started the year - and this time there will be no Serena to spoil Henin's comeback party.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.