Belgian Kim Clijsters made a successful return from a long injury absence on Wednesday, overcoming dogged Czech Iveta Benesova 7-6, 6-2 in the second round of the Belgian Open.

She said: "I started very nervously but felt that the crowd was right behind me and that helped a lot. Plus my former injury did not bother me any more.

"Of course, actually playing a match is nothing like practice. The pressure is greater and there are so many details to take care of. But honestly, I played my backhand just like my forehand. My left wrist injury is complete history."

Clijsters had missed the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open this year with torn wrist tendons complicated by a cyst.

The Belgian raced into a 4-1 first-set lead before Benesova took advantage of some sloppy serving to peg her back to force a tiebreak, which the former world number one took 7-3.

Clijsters began the second set well, advancing to 3-0 before wrapping up the match with no further hitches.

Clijsters, who earlier this month unveiled plans to marry Australian number one Lleyton Hewitt next February, had not played competitively since the beginning of May when she was forced to withdraw midway through a tournament in Berlin.

Her ranking has slipped from world number two to seventh since then.