Images from Wednesday's men's and women's singles matches at the Australia Open in Melbourne.
The return of Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin to the Australian Open, which begins on Monday, has added even more spice to a women's tournament already overflowing with talent.
Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters steamrolled their semi-final opponents on Friday to set up a tantalising all-Belgian final at the Brisbane International. Henin, playing her first tournament in 20 months after coming out of retirement, crushed Serbia's Ana Ivanovic 6-3, 6-2 in a little over then hour. Then Clijsters, who won last year's US Open after making her own fairytale comeback, demolished Germany's Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-2.
Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin were forced to draw on their vast experience to avoid being eliminated from the Brisbane International on Thursday. The two Belgians, both back on the professional circuit after retiring from the sport, scraped through their quarter-finals to remain on course for a possible showdown in Saturday's final.
Former world number one Justine Henin is set to play in next month's Sydney International after being granted a wildcard by organisers. Henin, who announced her comeback to the women's tour in September after a 15-month absence, makes her return in Brisbane in early January before playing in the Sydney tournament as part of her preparations for the Australian Open the following week.
Kim Clijsters won the battle of the Belgians on Monday when she beat Justine Henin 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 for a place in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Samantha Stosur has paid her dues, now she is reaping the rewards as what was a relatively low-key professional career has suddenly taken off.
Justine Henin was supposed to ride into Roland Garros, scene of four stunning triumphs before her retirement, and gallop away with another Grand Slam crown. The problem was she did not quite believe it would happen herself.
Justine Henin's hopes of a fifth French Open title vanished with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 fourth-round defeat by Australian seventh seed Samantha Stosur on Monday.
Four-time champion Justine Henin showed nerves of steel to beat Maria Sharapova of Russia 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in their delayed French Open third-round match on Sunday.
The intensity is there, the serve is improving with each match and the determination to win never waned as Maria Sharapova quietly works her way back to where she belongs - competing for Grand Slam titles.
Former World No 1 Justine Henin plans to make her return to tournament tennis at next year's Brisbane International as part of her preparations for the Australian Open.
Two years after Justine Henin stunned the sport by announcing her retirement at the age of 25 on the eve of her French Open defence, the Belgian is back and eager to show Roland Garros what it has been missing.
Former champion Justine Henin, who said last month she was making a return to top-level tennis, has been granted a wildcard for the 2010 Australian Open, organisers said on Monday.
Facts and figures from the women's competition at the French Open, which begins from May 25.
Justine Henin was inspired to return to tennis by Roger Federer and the decision was rewarded on Sunday when she beat Australia's Samantha Stosur in the final of the Stuttgart indoor tournament for her first title since her comeback. It was the Belgian's first tournament on clay, her favoured surface on which she has won four French Open titles, since she ended her 19-month self-imposed exile at the start of the year.
Justine Henin won her first title since her comeback when she beat Australia's Samantha Stosur in the final at the Stuttgart indoor tournament on Sunday.
Justine Henin continued her impressive return to tennis when she fought back to beat former World No 1 Jelena Jankovic 3-6, 7-6, 6-3 in Stuttgart on Friday, leaving her opponent exasperated.
Former world number one Justine Henin is poised to announce her comeback to professional tennis, Belgian media reported on Tuesday. Henin, 27, would make the announcement on evening news shows in Belgium, a number of newspapers reported.
Four-times French Open champion Justine Henin overcame a broken finger and fired-up German opponent to win her opening match at Stuttgart on Wednesday, her first clay court tournament since her comeback.
Former champions Venus and Serena Williams pulled out of the women's doubles at Wimbledon.
Belgian pair Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters will meet in the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open after both advanced through their quarter-final ties on Wednesday.
The Russian top seed lost 2-6,4-6 to Justine Henin-Hardenne in the German Open quarter-finals.
The competitive fire is still burning in Venus Williams and, unlike some of her contemporaries who extinguished their careers early, the five-times Wimbledon champion plans to stick around until at least the 2012 Olympics.
Serena Williams overcame an even-numbered year hoodoo and the fairytale return of an opponent once ranked number one in the world to claim her 12th Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open on Saturday.
Serena Williams defeated Belgium's Justine Henin 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 on Saturday to win the Australian Open for the fifth time after a match of unrelenting tension between the two best players of their generation.
Saturday's Australian Open showdown between Serena Williams and Justine Henin is more than a dream final between defending champion and comeback queen.
Rafael Nadal thrashed Frenchman Florent Serra, while Justine Henin beat Russia's Olga Poutchkova in the second round of the Australian Open.
Justine Henin continued her remarkable return to competitive tennis with a 7-6, 7-5 victory over 19th seed Nadia Petrova to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
Roger Federer and Justine Henin have been named as top seeds for next week's Australian Open.
India's number one women tennis player Sania Mirza has been seeded 31 in the first Grand Slam of the year -- the Australian Open -- beginning on January 14 in Melbourne.
Comeback queen Justine Henin issued an ominous warning to her rivals at the Australian Open by knocking out Russian fifth seed Elena Dementieva 7-5, 7-6 in the second round on Wednesday.
Kim Clijsters survived two match points before winning her eagerly awaited rematch with fellow Belgian Justine Henin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 in the final of the Brisbane International on Saturday.
Belgium's Justine Henin made a triumphant return to professional tennis with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Russia's Nadia Petrova in the Brisbane International first round on Monday.
The time away from tennis has helped Justine Henin "grow up" as an individual and the former world number one is confident she is returning to the tour a better player.
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza will face former World No1 Justine Henin in her first round match of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday.
List of French Open women's singles champions:
Belgian former World No 1 and seven-time grand slam singles champion Justine Henin headlined the list of nominees up for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Justine Henin lost her drive for success after reconciling with her estranged family, her coach said following her decision to retire.
World tennis number one Roger Federer won the prestigious Laureus Sportsman of the Year award for a record fourth year in a row on Monday.
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