Elena Baltacha's comeback earns clash with Justine Henin

• Elena Baltacha both won yesterday to go through to the second round, where the Scot will play former World No 1 Justine Henin. Picture: Getty

In a long, and sometimes feisty, encounter out on court 10, British No 1 Baltacha overcame three rain delays and a medical timeout to go through 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Baltacha was joined in the second round by fellow Briton Anne Keothavong, who beat Russia's Arina Rodionova 7-5, 6-4 to get over the first hurdle. She also faces a tough assignment, as she will meet 30th-seeded German Andrea Petkovic, who thrashed Jill Craybas 6-1, 6-2.

Baltacha says self-belief will be the key to her tie later this week with Henin, a player she described as a "legend" in tennis,

"She's one of the legends," said Baltacha. "I think it's going to be more about myself trying to control what I can control and just trying to really deliver. I've got to go out there and I've really got to believe that I can beat her, because, like I said, there would be no point otherwise. It would be like a walk in the park for her."

Baltacha's tie against Hampton yesterday did not start well as she dropped her opening service game. She hit back to level at 2-2 but Hampton's greater weight of shot on the forehand side eventually prevailed as two more breaks saw her claim the opening set.

A 10-minute rain delay then stalled Hampton's momentum and Baltacha found a foothold, and then a break to establish a 5-4 lead which she duly cemented to level matters at one-set all.

The turnaround continued with Baltacha establishing a 3-1 lead in the decider before some more light rain prompted the Scot to sit in her chair after declaring the court too slippery.

She used the break to receive some treatment on a lower leg problem which continued to bother her once play resumed. Initially it seemed as though the injury was impacting her game as Baltacha dumped a sloppy backhand into the net to relinquish her break.

Further rain at 5-5 again saw Baltacha march to her chair with Hampton visibly irritated by the constant interruptions. A bad line call early in game 11 proved the final straw for the qualifier from Auburn, ranked 132 in the world, as she delivered three double faults from 15-all to gift Baltacha a 6-5 lead.

Baltacha still needed three match points to secure the win, the winning shot an ace.

Henin certainly looks vulnerable.The Belgian, who quit the tour in 2008 to find herself, nearly found herself out of the tournament after getting completely lost in her first-round match against India's Sania Mirza.

The seven-time grand slam champion was making her second comeback at Melbourne Park in two years, having spent six months on the sidelines due to an elbow ligament injury. Her first comeback, 20 months after walking out of the game disillusioned, set last year's tournament alight with a barnstorming run stopped only by champion Serena Williams in the final.

But that run was a distant memory for Henin yesterday as she threw away the first set before winning 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.

"I was ready (for) a tough match because she's not a qualifier and as she has been in this type of situation," said Henin of her opponent, a huge celebrity in India. "There are many things we can talk about that weren't good in my game."