Former top ranked Justine Henin and Lleyton Hewitt made winning comebacks from injury as Australia beat Belgium 2-1 in the Hopman Cup on yesterday.

Henin beat Alicia Molik 6-4, 6-4 in her first singles match after an elbow injury at Wimbledon in June in a promising buildup to the Australian Open later this month.

Hewitt beat Ruben Bemelmans 6-4, 6-3 in his first singles since September, then joined with Molik to beat Henin and Bemelmans 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8) in the mixed doubles decider of the Group A match.

Seven-time Grand Slam winner Henin was making her debut in the opening match of the annual mixed teams tournament.

The Belgian, who spent a total of 117 weeks at No. 1, struggled at times with her serve and said she wasn't yet able to play without discomfort. She estimated before the tournament she might take six months to return to full fitness.

"I can't play 100 percent free of pain but it's getting better," Henin said. "A few weeks ago I really didn't know if I was going to be able to come here to Australia. It's been a lot of hard rehabilitation on my elbow.

"I had to work really hard in the last few weeks just to try to serve with no pain. I'm not yet 100 percent but feeling better. It's good for a first match, I won and that's (the) most important (thing)."

Henin said she was relieved to get through the first match of her comeback without difficulty.

"I'm just glad I'm healthy, almost there and now I have to build my confidence back and find my rhythm," she said.

"Alicia (Molik) wasn't an easy opponent to play first because she was changing the rhythm a lot, especially with the slice. I was a bit out of the rhythm."

Henin won the first match of the opening set, quickly lost her own serve but retrieved the break to serve out the set at 6-4. She won the opening match of the second set and also retrieved a break before similarly serving for the set and match.

Hewitt has taken up exactly where he left off, with a win over the left-handed Bemelmans. The Australian's last singles match in September was also against Bemelmans during Australia's Davis Cup tie against Belgium. Hewitt won that match in a tough four sets.

Hewitt expected to take confidence from yesterday's win ahead of the Australian Open which starts in Melbourne on 17 January.

"It's always tough the first match of the year," Hewitt said. "It doesn't matter how many practice sets you play out there, getting that match toughness back isn't easy.

"He was actually the last bloke that I played last year. It was nice to beat him in the Davis Cup (and) now playing for Australia here at the Hopman Cup as well.

"I'm just happy to get through in straight sets being down break points and getting out of those situations, that's stuff you can't buy. He's a difficult opponent, he's a big ball striker and his backhand's improved since I played him in the Davis Cup last time."

Hewitt said he had worked hard to be ready for the new season.

"It's good to wake up and be injury free," he said. "It feels like it's been a long time and, at the end of the day, the way I see it is it gives me the best opportunity to go out there and perform."

Serbia and Kazakhstan are also in Group A while Britain, Italy, France and the United States play in Group B.