Justine Henin crashes out on Madrid Open clay

TENNIS: Four-time French Open champion Justine Henin's preparations for the Roland Garros grand slam event suffered a shuddering jolt with a defeat by France's Aravane Rezai in the Madrid Open first round.

Henin won the Stuttgart title on clay last week and is seen as a dangerous outsider in Paris later this month, but she said she had been suffering from sickness since the German event and was not at 100 per cent.

Rezai, the world No 22, took full advantage with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 win as the Belgian's game collapsed in the deciding set.

Maria Sharapova was another former world No 1 to fall at the first hurdle on the clay in Madrid, the Russian 11th seed going down 6-4, 6-3 to Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic.

Venus Williams was playing qualifier Stefanie Voegele later last night.