PARIS - Former champion Justine Henin-Hardenne survived stubborn resistance from Spain's Conchita Martinez to win 6-0 4-6 6-4 and reach the second round of the French Open.
The 10th-seeded Belgian barely broke into a sweat during a clinical first set, which she romped through in 19 minutes.
But just as itlooked as though the 2003 champion was heading towards a swift victory, the 33-year-old Martinez came to life in the first game of the second set.
The pair became embroiled in a psychological tussle as break points and game points were won and lost, with both refusing to give an inch on an overcast Philippe Chatrier court.
Henin-Hardenne finally gained the breakthrough to win her seventh game on the trot - a game that, at 21 minutes, lasted longer than the first set.
The battle appeared to have taken its toll on Henin-Hardenne, who spent much of 2004 on the sidelines after struggling with an energy-sapping viral illness and she went on to drop her serve for the first time in the match in the next game.
With former Wimbledon champion Martinez finally opening her account, the Spaniard displayed some of the form that also carried her into the 2000 French Open final. She frustrated Henin-Hardenne with dogged baseline tactics to level the match at a set apiece.
However, having beaten Martinez in each of their previous six meetings, the Belgian refused to relinquish her perfect record against a player making her 18th appearance at the claycourt grand slam.
The 22-year-old kept her wits about her despite losing two match points while leading 5-1 on Martinez's serve.
Martinez rattled Henin-Hardenne further by breaking her when she was serving for the match in the next game.
The triple grand slam winner finally clinched victory on her third match point with a scorching forehand winner, ending the contest after two hours 16 minutes.
Throwing her arms up in the air in relief, Henin-Hardenne gave her verdict to the cheering fans with a thumbs up as she left the stadium.
The Belgian will next meet either Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual or Belarussian qualifier Anastasiya Yakimova.
