Tennis News

Justine Henin's comeback hit its first speed bump on Friday as Gisela Dulko ousted the former world number one from the second round of the Indian Wells hardcourt tennis tournament.

Henin had made stunning run to the final of the Australian Open in January - in just her second tournament since a return from an 18-month retirement.

But Dulko's 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 victory made Henin one of two Australian Open women's semifinalists to bow out of this combined WTA and ATP Masters 1000 event, along with China's Li Na.

Can the youngsters break the veterans' major title dominance at Indian Wells?

Hope springs eternal in the early part of the spring, especially at Indian Wells when the desert is just starting to bloom all over.

Second seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark battled back from 4-1 down in the third set to scrape past American Vania King 5-7 6-2 6-4 at Indian Wells.

The 19-year-old Dane broke her unseeded opponent in the seventh and ninth games of the third set before sealing victory in two hours 28 minutes when King hit a backhand long.

"I just kept fighting for every point," a relieved Wozniacki said in a courtside interview at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after booking a third round spot.

British qualifier Elena Baltacha "fought her heart out" to record the biggest win of her career when she upset seventh seed Li Na of China at the Indian Wells WTA tournament.

Former world number one Justine Henin was also a shock loser, beaten 6-2 1-6 6-4 by Argentina's Gisela Dulko.

The 26-year-old Baltacha came from 5-1 down in the third set tiebreaker and saved two match points against the Australian Open semi-finalist before sealing a 7-6 2-6 7-6 victory in a contest that lasted two hours and 50 minutes.

Former tennis greats Andre Agassi and Martina Navratilova stole the limelight with their wit while playing in exhibition matches on Friday to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Navratilova and Justine Henin beat Steffi Graf and Lindsay Davenport 8-6 in a light-hearted women's double encounter before Pete Sampras and Roger Federer overcame Agassi and Rafael Nadal by the same margin.

Rafa Nadal was delighted to be back at one of his favourite venues for the Indian Wells ATP tournament after shaking off the knee injury that forced him to abandon his Australian Open title defence.

The Spanish left-hander has not competed since withdrawing from his quarter-final against Briton Andy Murray in Melbourne in January when he felt his play was good enough to win a seventh grand slam crown.

Back to full fitness after suffering from a lung infection last month, Roger Federer said on Friday he is ready to challenge for a record fourth title at the Indian Wells ATP tournament.

The Swiss master has not competed since clinching his 16th grand slam singles crown at the Australian Open in late January but he has always felt extremely comfortable at the California desert venue.

Martina Hingis will face top-ranked Serena Williams and two former No. 1 players in World Team Tennis competition.

The WTT announced its 10-team schedule on Thursday. Hingis will play for the New York Buzz and face Williams on July 9 at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Hingis is a five-time Grand Slam singles champion and the youngest woman to be ranked No. 1. She retired for a second time in 2007, when she was given a two-year suspension for testing positive for cocaine. She denied taking the drug but did not appeal the ruling.

Kim Clijsters and Caroline Wozniacki will begin their grass-court seasons at Eastbourne.

Clijsters celebrated her return to professional tennis following a two-year layoff with victory at the 2009 U.S. Open, where the 26-year-old Belgian beat Wozniacki in the final.

Clijsters, who won the title at Eastbourne in 2005, said the tournament would provide her with solid preparation for Wimbledon.

Elena Dementieva believes a relaxed schedule has been the secret to her success so far in 2010 and hopes it pays off at the BNP Paribas Open.

The No. 4 seed is coming off victories already this year at the Medibank International, in Sydney, beating Serena Williams in the final; and a victory at the Open GDF Suez in Paris.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Dementieva, ranked seventh in the world, spoke about her successes so far this year and her strategy to win at the BNP Paribas Open.