World No. 1 Justine Henin said in Melbourne on Sunday that she hoped to start her Australian Open journey without pressure.
Fresh from winning her 40th WTA title in Sydney on Friday, top-seeded Henin will be in the run for her second Australian Open title on Monday against Japanese Aiko Nakamura in the first round.
"I left Melbourne with a strange feeling two years ago and wasn't here last year. I missed it a lot," said the 25-year-old Belgian.
Henin won the title in 2004 but retired in the 2006 final against Amelie Mauresmo because she was feeling sick.
Last year, she withdrew from the tournament during her divorce.
"Last year everyone knows why I wasn't here. So I don't have the feeling I have to prove anything to anyone. I just have a lot of motivation because it is a tournament I like a lot..." she said.
Henin now has a 28-match winning streak which put her in the favorite spot for the title but she is not going to think too far too much.
"It's great but numbers are not the most important. A Grand Slam is tough so I don't know what's going to happen for me in the next two weeks," she said. "I don't want to take it as an extra pressure. So I just try to enjoy my tennis."
Source: Xinhua
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