Four-time winner Justine Henin made a nostalgic return to the French Open for the first time since the 2007 title, opening her campaign with a victory over Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday.
Henin, who quit the game in 2008 for more than a year before rediscovering her motivation to play, claimed her 22nd consecutive victory at Roland Garros.
The 27-year-old Belgian’s 31 winners outweighed her 18 unforced errors against the number 81 whom she has now beaten four times.
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Henin broke in the eighth game of the first set and reached the second round on a Pironkova error.
Fellow-Belgian Kristen Flipkens followed Henin with a win, defeating Japan’s Ayumi Morita 6-1, 6-4. Israeli Shahar Peer stopped qualifier Nuria Llagostera Vives of Spain, 6-1, 6-4.
Slovak Daniela Hantuchova beat Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-1 and Australian Anastasia Rodionova defeated Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-2.
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