The Mo and The Ro

Former world number one Justine Henin’s comeback gathered pace on Wednesday with a hard fought 6-4, 6-3 win over Sesil Karatantcheva in the second round of the Brisbane International.

Henin remains on track to meet fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters in the women’s final but she will need to lift several notches if she is to trouble the reigning US Open champion.

After downing second seed Nadia Petrova in the first round, Henin was expected to crush the colourful qualifier from Kazakhstan, via Bulgaria. However she struggled initially and found it hard to quell the challenge of a determined and aggressive Karatantcheva.

Henin was forced to fight back from early breaks in both sets and despite the Belgian being in control for most of the match, Karatantcheva always seemed in with a chance.

Henin explained that she was simply rusty after being away from the game for 20 months.

“It was a night game so we had different conditions (from the first round),” she said.

“Playing in the evening, waiting all day long, I’m not used to that so it took me a few games to get into the match.

“I wasn’t aggressive enough, but it’s a question of rhythm and being used to playing these types of matches.”

Looks like a Henin-Clijsters final could be heading our way!

The time away from tennis has helped Justine Henin “grow up” as an individual and the former world number one is confident she is returning to the tour a better player.

Seven-times grand slam champion Henin announced her comeback to the women’s tour in September after a 15-month absence and the Belgian will kick off her preparation for the Australian Open at next month’s Brisbane International.

“I believe I can be a better player, I believe I can use my experience more than in the past,” she told the Brisbane event’s website (brisbaneinternational.com.au).

“It’s been a great experience to go out of the tennis world for 18 months and to come back because I feel I grew up.

“I really needed to come out of this bubble. The tennis world is a small world. There are so many things around that and I never realised that before.

“To come back to my passion, to what I love so much, after this part of my life is such a great feeling.

“I’m 27, now I just want to live my second career differently to how I did in the past.”

Henin won 41 WTA Tour titles and over $19 million in career prize money before quitting professional tennis.

The 2004 Australian Open champion is a wildcard in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne before the season’s first grand slam.

“When you are into (playing tennis at) 200 percent you have no time to realise it.

“You are too involved all the time and all this time off helped me to realise everything I achieved.

“What I can say is I know myself much better and that’s the most important thing.”

“Of course I will need some time to be 100 percent to be the level I was when I stopped my career but I’m ready to live anything here.”

Can’t wait to see you play when I am Down Under Justine! Allez!