Henin shines at French Open

Four-time winner Justine Henin made a winning return to Roland Garros by beating Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4, 6-3 to reach the French Open second round on Tuesday.

Henin, the number 22 seed, is appearing at her first French Open since she last won the event in 2007, having retired from tennis in 2008 and then returned to the sport at the beginning of this year.

The 27-year-old Belgian will face Czech Klara Zakopalova.

"I never expected to be back here again on this court," said Henin after taking her first steps on Court Philippe Chatrier since she overwhelmed Ana Ivanovic in the 2007 final.

"When I woke up this morning I wasn't sure what the emotions would be. But when I got out there, a lot of things came back to me.

"It was fantastic and it was an honour to be scheduled there." Henin secured the first break of the match when she dispatched a crisp backhand return winner in the seventh game of the first set and a deft volley at 5-4 up brought her the set.

The decisive break in the second set also arrived in the seventh game and Henin went on to wrap up victory in one hour and 29 minutes when the Bulgarian lashed a backhand into the tramlines.

Russian 29th seed Anastasiya Pavlyuchenkova booked her place in the next round with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of home favourite Alize Cornet, while Slovakian 23rd seed Daniela Hantuchova thrashed Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-1. Israeli 18th seed Shahar Peer and Russian 21st seed Vera Zvonareva will also compete for a place in round three after both won in straight sets.

Four-time men's champion Rafael Nadal begins his campaign later on Tuesday when he takes on French teenager Gianni Mina and sixth seed Andy Roddick, the former world number one, faces Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.

Nadal's fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, the seventh seed, breezed past Russia's Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, but Argentine 26th seed Juan Monaco fell 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to Slovenian qualifier Grega Zemlja, the world 141.

Verdasco had to apologise earlier this week after shouting abuse at the French fans during his defeat to Richard Gasquet in the Nice final on Saturday and he refused to be drawn on the incident again.

"You keep asking me questions about this incident," snapped Verdasco at his post-match press conference.

"I said I don't want to add anything. If you keep on asking the same questions, I'll answer the same answer, and then I get fed up."

In the women's draw, last year's beaten finalist Dinara Safina faces Japan's Kimiko Date Krumm, while former world number one Maria Sharapova confronts Russian compatriot Ksenia Pervak. PARIS, May 25, 2010, AFP