DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- No. 1 seed Justine Henin was stretched to three sets Wednesday before winning her second round match at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The Belgian overcame Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 in three grueling hours to continue a quest for her fourth title at this event in the last five years.
She missed it in 2005 because of injury.
"That's the kind of match I need," the reigning French and U.S. Open champion said after she needed seven set points to secure the first set and failed to convert two break point chances in her 17th straight victory at the Dubai event.
Also on Wednesday, No. 2 Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova pasted Czech Lucie Safarova 6-1, 6-2; Australian Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic, the No. 3 seed, blasted Czech Nicole Vaidisova 6-4, 6-0; No. 4 Serbian Jelena Jankovic ousted India's Sania Mirza 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; and No. 6 Russian Anna Chakvetadze topped countrywoman Dinara Safina 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-3.
