Published>Sun, Jan 24 10 05:49 PM
Justine Henin's impressive comeback to grand slam action continued on Sunday with a 7-6 1-6 6-3 win over fellow Belgian Yanina Wickmayer to make the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
Henin, playing in only her second tournament since coming back from an 18-month retirement, kept calm when challenged and pounced when given a handful of chances to beat the dogged Wickmayer on Rod Laver Arena.
"That wasn't easy she played a great match she took the opportunities and played aggressively," Henin said in a courtside interview.
"It's just a special feeling to be back."
The win sets up a last eight meeting with Nadia Petrova, who earlier dumped third seed and fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova out in three sets.
Henin has a 12-2 record over 19th-ranked Petrova and defeated the Russian in her first match back to professional tennis at the Brisbane International in the lead-up to Melbourne Park.
Petrova, who also ended Kim Clijsters title ambitions with a 6-0 6-1 thrashing in the third round, will be riding high in confidence, however, and is likely to test Henin's fitness.
Henin, who has played three tough three-set matches in a row, appeared in discomfort at times against Wickmayer and hobbled back to the baseline after a nasty stumble during the last set.
But there is doubting the Belgian's cool head and it was again on display at critical moments.
Serving to stay in the first set at 6-5 down, she saved three set points to force a tiebreaker, then pounced with three consecutive winners to seal it.
She then refused to get rattled after stumbling in the second, and broke Wickmayer early in the third before calmly riding out to victory, matching the best performance by a wild card in the tournament.
Henin is bidding for her second grand slam victory after beating fellow Belgian Clijsters for the 2004 title.
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