Belgian Justine Henin won her first match since making her tennis comeback when she upset second seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 7-5, 7-5 in the first round of the Brisbane International Monday
Belgian Justine Henin won her first match since making her tennis comeback when she upset second seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 7-5, 7-5 in the first round of the Brisbane International Monday.
The former world number one proved she can still be a force in the women's game as she showed steely determination to defeat Petrova.
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While her trademark backhand may have been a little rusty in patches, Henin was able to convert break points at key moments in both sets to clinch victory.
Henin retired from tennis in May 2008 while ranked number one in the world, saying she had lost the desire to compete at the top level.
However, soon after compatriot Kim Clijsters won the 2009 US Open after making her own comeback, Henin announced that she too was coming out of retirement.
Clijsters, also playing in Brisbane, won her first round match on Sunday, and organisers will be delighted that there is still a chance the two Belgian rivals will meet in Saturday's final.
Henin showed no signs of nerves against Petrova as the two players comfortably held their opening service games.
The Belgian had a chance to break at 3-3 but Petrova saved one break point to keep her nose in front.
However at 5-5 Henin brought up two more break points and this time she wasn't to be denied, moving ahead 6-5 then holding serve to love to claim the first set.
The two players traded early breaks in the second before the set settled into a similar pattern to the first, Henin again having a chance at 3-3 before breaking at 5-5 and holding serve for victory.
She now plays Sesil Karatancheva of Kazakhstan in the second round ahead of a probable quarter-final against seventh seeded Hungarian Melinda Czink.
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