Henin, Hewitt win singles matches in Hopman Cup

Category: Tennis

Publish Date: 12-31-2010 07:00 PM -0500

PERTH, Australia (AP)—Former No. 1 Justine Henin and Lleyton Hewitt made winning comebacks from injuries as Australia beat Belgium 2-1 in the Hopman Cup on Saturday.

Henin beat Alicia Molik 6-4, 6-4 in her first singles match since hurting her elbow at Wimbledon in June and Hewitt beat Ruben Bemelmans 6-4, 6-3 in his first singles match since injuring his right hand in September.

Hewitt teamed with Molik to beat Henin and Bemelmans 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8) in the mixed-doubles decider of the Group A match.

Henin was making her debut in the opening match of the annual mixed-teams tournament that leads up to the year’s first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner, she spent a total of 117 weeks at No. 1, struggled at times with her serve and said she wasn’t yet able to play without discomfort. She estimated before the tournament that it might take six months to return to full fitness.

“I can’t play 100 percent free of pain but it’s getting better,” Henin said. “A few weeks ago I really didn’t know if I was going to be able to come here to Australia. It’s been a lot of hard rehabilitation on my elbow.

“I had to work really hard in the last few weeks just to try to serve with no pain. I’m not yet 100 percent but feeling better. It’s good for a first match, I won and that’s (the) most important (thing).”

Henin was relieved to get through the first match of her comeback.

“I’m just glad I’m healthy, almost there and now I have to build my confidence back and find my rhythm,” she said.

“Alicia wasn’t an easy opponent to play first because she was changing the rhythm a lot, especially with the slice. I was a bit out of the rhythm.”

Henin won the first match of the opening set, quickly lost her serve but retrieved the break to serve out the set at 6-4. She won the opening match of the second set and also retrieved a break before similarly serving for the set and match.

Hewitt has taken up exactly where he left off, with a win over the left-handed Bemelmans. The Australian’s last singles match in September was also against Bemelmans during Australia’s Davis Cup tie against Belgium. Hewitt won that match in a tough four sets.

Hewitt expected to take confidence from Saturday’s win ahead of the Australian Open which starts in Melbourne on Jan. 17.

“It’s always tough the first match of the year,” Hewitt said. “It doesn’t matter how many practice sets you play out there, getting that match toughness back isn’t easy.”

Serbia and Kazakhstan are also in Group A, while Britain, Italy, France and the United States play in Group B.

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