During that time, Serena Williams held the position of world No. 1 and boasted an impressive streak of four consecutive Grand Slam victories (Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open in 2002, followed by the 2023 Australian Open).
Williams entered the match as the overwhelming favorite. Justine Henin, a Belgian player, held the 4th seed and had recently defeated the American in the final of the Charleston tournament.
In a tightly contested match, the 23-time Grand Slam champion found herself serving in the third set with a scoreline of 6-2, 4-6, 4-2. At that crucial moment, Henin made a hand gesture to halt the play as the crowd fell silent, causing Williams to falter on her first serve.
Sensing the disruption, Williams requested the referee to grant her a second serve due to Henin’s gesture. However, the referee failed to notice the gesture, and Henin remained silent, much to Serena’s profound dismay.
Henin capitalized on the momentum shift and rallied to claim the third set 7-5, securing her spot in the final where she ultimately triumphed over Kim Clijsters, securing her first-ever Grand Slam title.
