Former world tennis No. 1 Justine Henin will nurse an elbow injury through next month's Australian Open and says she may be six months away from full fitness.
Henin will make her return from injury at the Hopman Cup mixed teams event which starts in Perth on Saturday, ensuring she will play at least three singles and three doubles matches before the first Grand Slam of the season.
The seven-time Grand Slam winner, who last played a major event at Wimbledon in June, said her elbow was not completely healed and would have to be closely monitored in the lead-up to the Australian Open.
''It is six months since the injury and I can't say I am 100 per cent,'' Henin said Wednesday. ''I am working very hard on it and I spend two hours every day on my rehabilitation.
''When we heard about the serious injury there were concerns about the future of my career as it was pretty serious. Now step by step I can improve, but it will probably take a few more weeks and maybe months before I can be 100 per cent.''
Henin said she was not yet free of pain when she played but was ''going in the right direction''.
She said hard work and discipline had enabled her to return to the court in time for the Australian Open.
In last year's Australian Open, the Belgian emerged from almost two years off the tour and made the final, where she pushed Serena Williams to three sets. However she is tempering expectations of a similarly impressive comeback in Melbourne this year.
''I am realistic, it is my comeback, it has been a difficult year,'' she said. ''I started the season pretty well, but then physically it has been pretty difficult.
''It hasn't been an easy comeback and a serious injury like that just six months after I came back was the worst for me.''
Williams will miss this year's event due to a long-term foot injury, meaning there will be no strong favorite in the women's draw in Australia this year, yet Henin said it will take until midyear that she can be counted among the contenders.
''No one is dominating women's tennis, there are a lot of ups and downs,'' she said. ''Serena (Williams) is not going to be there so it is going to be wide open, but I don't consider myself one of the biggest favorites.
''I hope I can build my condition this year by playing tournaments, and hope to be really ready around June-July would be great for me.''
