Justine Henin is determined to keep her public and private lives separate as she defends her Dubai Open title this week.

The world number two took a three-month break from playing following the split with husband Pierre-Yves Hardenne and returned to the tour at the Paris Open earlier in February.

"We can talk about tennis," Henin told reporters on Monday.

"I'm a public person and understand that perfectly but as soon as I'm not on the tennis court, as soon as something touches my private life, I think I can keep it for myself.

"There are people who are very curious and want to know why and who, but I want to keep my private life private and I'm sure a lot of people can understand that," added the Belgian.

"It's a little bit like my secret garden. All of you I'm sure have ups and downs in your life, and why would I be different just because I'm a famous tennis player? I'm a person before being a player."

Henin is the top seed in Dubai, where she is undefeated after winning the title three times in as many attempts.

The 24-year-old went out in the semi-finals of the Paris Open to unfancied Czech Lucie Safarova but is prepared to be patient for her best form to return.

"Well, I wasn't 100 percent (in Paris), that's for sure," said Henin, after playing some tennis with Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova on a mini-court set up in the desert.

"You need to accept that it takes a little bit of time and I couldn't be at my best level in my first tournament. But it was a good decision to play there.

"It wasn't an easy one, but I played three matches and that was my aim, to be back on the tour and find my motivation, my rhythm, and find the atmosphere on the tour again. That was very important to me.

"Now I just go step by step. It's been a difficult period in my life, that's for sure, but I'll try to come back very strong in my tennis. I didn't forget how to play, but I have to control my emotions a little bit and just think about myself now."

Henin has a bye into the second round where she will face either Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik or a qualifier.