MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Justine Henin has advanced to the quarterfinals of her first Grand Slam tournament in two years when she beat fellow Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3 at the Australian Open.
Henin, who is in her second tournament since returning from a 20-month retirement, dominated the first-set tiebreaker after saving three set points in the 12th game on her serve and trailing 6-5.
Wickmayer broke Henin’s serve to open the second set, and Henin, more importantly, did the same to Wickmayer in the decider.
Unranked and playing on a wild-card entry, Henin will play No. 19 Nadia Petrova in the quarterfinals.
Wickmayer is ranked No. 16 but was unseeded and had to qualify because she was under a suspension—since overturned—for breaching the World Anti-Doping Agency’s “whereabouts rule” when direct entries closed for the Australian Open.