Clijsters begins season with win

Kim Clijsters got her 2010 season underway with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Tathiana Garbin in the first round of the Brisbane International on Sunday.

Making her first tournament appearance since October, the top seed dropped her opening service game but soon started producing powerful ground strokes that proved too much for her Italian opponent.

The Belgian proceeded to claim 11 of the last 12 games and sealed victory in just under an hour.

"I felt like my groundstrokes were going good, I felt like I was really on top of my baseline (game), really changing up the direction of the rallies," Clijsters said.

"I think you need to find a good balance between being relaxed and being on top of your game, especially at the start of the season.

The US Open champion added: "There's a few details that can always get better."

She will play home favourite Alicia Molik in round two, the Australian needing three sets to beat Russia's Ekaterina Makarova 6-4 1-6 6-4.

Molik saved three break points at 4-4 in the deciding set before breaking Makarova's serve to love in the 10th game to claim her first WTA tour victory in two years.

Former world number one Justine Henin, who is coming out of retirement, plays second seed Nadia Petrova of Russia on Monday.