Henin back at Brisbane

Former world number one Justine Henin will make her return to the WTA Tour at the Brisbane International on January 4.

Belgian confirms WTA return

Former world number one Justine Henin will make her long-awaited return to the WTA Tour at the Brisbane International on January 4. The diminutive Belgian confirmed the return date two weeks ahead of her comeback to Grand Slam tennis at the Australian Open. She said: "After a 15-month absence I am pleased to begin my second tennis career at the Brisbane International. "It will be great to get back to playing competitive tennis again and with the strong field, the same court surface and a similar climate to Melbourne, it will be the perfect preparation leading into the Australian Open." Fellow Belgian comeback player Kim Clijsters is also in the women's draw, along with former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic. Despite having a No.1 ranking when she retired in May last year, the 27-year-old Henin does not have a protected ranking. She has been granted wild card entries for the main draws at Brisbane and the Australian Open. Henin has won 41 WTA Tour titles, an Olympic gold medal and has claimed three of the four majors.