Australian Open Preview - Day 11

coming back from a set and a break down to see off Williams' sister Venus on Wednesday afternoon.

And if she caught any of Serena's amazing three-set victory over Belarussian Victoria Azarenka later in the day she'll surely be looking to replicate the tactics that served Azarenka so well as she led by a set and 4-0 before the comeback came.

Serena Williams' brilliant recovery rightly grabbed most of the headlines on Day 10 after she had looked all but dead and buried but she admitted later that the way she recovers will be critical as she tries to back up just 24 hours later against an opponent she labelled 'a fighter'.

Straight after that match 2004 Australian Open champion Henin takes to the court as she continues her sparkling return following an aborted 20-month retirement, clashing with Zheng in a match between two unseeded players.

Just like Serena Williams, Henin will go into the match expected to progress to the final at Melbourne Park for a third time even though she too has battled injury problems throughout, particularly in her past two matches when she's had her thigh strapped.

Henin won their only previous meeting in Miami but that was five years ago when she was at the top of the women's game and Zheng has come a long way since that day as an up-and-comer, her experience of reaching this stage at Wimbledon in 2008 sure to hold her in good stead.

Playing just her second event since returning two weeks ago, when she reached the Brisbane International final, Henin has played down her chances of emulating countrywoman Kim Clijsters' win at last year's US Open in her own first major tournament since coming out of retirement.

But for several days it has appeared as if this year's final is destined to feature the latest battle between Serena Williams and Henin - with Williams leading their head-to-head clashes 7-6 - and that's likely to be confirmed by Thursday evening.