The Belgian player has her eyes fixed on the diamond-encrusted golden tennis racket trophy on offer but knows she will have to be at her best with compatriot and world number two Kim Clijsters also in the running.

For that reason, the ailing Henin-Hardenne asked for a late start and organisers gave in, agreeing to an unusually late kick-off of Thursday.

"I am not going to tell you how long I have been on antibiotics," Henin-Hardenne told reporters in the Belgian city.

"But it is over now and I resumed practice for the first time on Sunday after several days of forced rest."

"I needed time to recover and that is why I asked to start playing here on Thursday. The tournament granted me that possibility and that is fine with me, even if I'll have to play four matches in four days now, if I reach the final."

NOT IDEAL

Henin-Hardenne has not played since her victory in the Australian Open earlier this month and admits playing in Antwerp is not ideal.

"After Australia, I had time to rest for two weeks at home in Belgium and that was just great. But now, I have to adapt to indoors again before playing in Dubai, outdoors."

"It's not ideal. Let's be frank -- this tournament is played in Belgium and that is why I am here."

"It's important for me to be here, of course, for the public and so on, but sports-wise it is not the best thing for me."

Clijsters, on the other hand, is thrilled to be playing at home.

"I love to play indoors and especially here in Antwerp," she said.

"It comes just after Sunday's win (in the final in Paris) and I love the indoors atmosphere."

While Clijsters is playing in Antwerp, fiance Lleyton Hewitt is competing in nearby Dutch city Rotterdam.

"If we have time, one of us will commute for sure," smiled Clijsters.