MELBOURNE, Australia -- Wimbledon runner-up Justine Henin overcame a second-set slip to dance into the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory against Marta Marrero on Thursday.

Belgian Henin owns the most talked about backhand in tennis but even that couldn't save her in the second set when a loss of concentration allowed dogged Spanish baseliner Marrero to level the match.

Sixth-seeded Henin, a loser in the fourth round here last year, stepped up a gear, though, and imposed her aggressive all-court game in the third set.

Cracking winners all over a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena court, Henin, 19, swiftly booked her third-round place against Australian hope Nicole Pratt who defeated German Martina Mueller 6-1, 6-2.

Fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters, seeded fourth, defeated Barbara Schwartz 6-1, 6-1. No. 12 Elena Dementieva, a U.S. Open semifinalist in 2000, won 6-4, 6-2 against Russian compatriot Anastasia Myskina.

No. 20 Rita Grande beat Dutch qualifier Kristie Boogert 7-6 (4), 7-5. No. 24 Ai Sugiyama rebounded from 2-5 and 30-40 for a 7-6 (2), 6-0 victory over Slovenia's Tina Pisnik.

No. 23 Magui Serena of Spain beat Italy's Maria Elena Camerin 6-3, 6-3.