Henin keeps eye on the prize

12 April 2012

World number one Justin Henin is already eyeing a second Australian Open crown after overcoming a second-set scare to reach the third round at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.

On a day when Henin's 2006 Australian Open conqueror Amelie Mauresmo also reached the third round and Swiss number 15 seed Patty Schnyder suffered a shock loss to Australia's Casey Dellacqua, the Belgian star survived an hour long second set to beat Russian Olga Putchkova 6-1 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner, who will now meet number 25 seed Francesca Schiavone in the third round after the Italian downed German Angelique Kerber 6-2 6-3, admitted that winning a second Australian Open crown to go with her 2004 success was a key component of her long-term plans.

"I'd love to win every Grand Slam two times so (winning the Australian Open this year) means a lot to me," Henin said.

"Maybe Wimbledon means a little bit more to me because it's the only one I have never won but all Grand Slams are important to me."

Schnyder blamed the change in court surface at Melbourne Park from the rubberised Rebound Ace surface to the newly-installed Plexicushion hard-court for her shock 4-6 7-5 8-6 loss to Dellacqua.

"It's a different court now," a disappointed Schnyder said.

"It's very slow, the ball doesn't bounce as high and gets heavier and it's very tough for me. I tried my best but it (the change in court surface) made it much harder for me."

Dellacqua, who cut her ranking from 172 to 78 last year, will now face a third round meeting with Mauresmo, who needed 10 match points before finally subduing Russian Yaroslav Shvedova 6-4 7-6 (5) on Margaret Court Arena.

Belarus' number 26 seed Victoria Azarenka also reached the third round with an emphatic 6-1 6-1 victory over German Sandra Kloesel.

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