Henin wins 1st match in 3 years at French Open

PARIS (AP)—Ensconced in retirement a year ago, Justine Henin attended the French Open as a spectator, watching other players go through the physical and mental duress of tennis.
Back then, she insisted Monday, “I never thought, ‘Well, I’ll be on this court again.”’
Yet there Henin was, on the red clay of the main stadium at Roland Garros, competing in the tournament for the first time since 2007—and in so many ways, it was as if the four-time champion never had been away.

That trademark white baseball cap. The same, fluid backhand and an assortment of other just-the-right-angle shots. Those cries of “Allez!” piercing the air.
Oh, and a victory, Henin’s 22nd in a row at the French Open. The Belgian also stretched her streak to 37 consecutive sets won at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament by beating 81st-ranked Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-4, 6-3 Monday.
“When I woke up, and before walking on the court, I didn’t know really what to expect and how I was going to deal with my emotions,” the 27-year-old Henin said. “It’s my tournament.”
She certainly did make it her own before deciding in 2008, right before the start of that year’s French Open, to walk away from the game, saying she no longer felt the necessary fire burning inside. Henin won titles at Roland Garros in 2003 and 2005-07, which is why she is considered a favorite for the 2010 title, even though she is seeded only 22nd. Seedings are based on rankings, and her standing is limited to points she has accumulated since returning to the tour at the start of the season.... read more