Henman makes triumphant return
Henman makes triumphant return 
From correspondents in Las Vegas, Nevada
Former Australian Captain February 28, 2007
GREAT Britain’s Tim Henman, sidelined by knee problems since last October, made a triumphant return today with a 6-1 6-2 victory over France’s Nicolas Mahut at the ATP Tennis Channel Open.
The No.7 seed will ensure a berth in Saturday’s quarter-finals with a victory over Spaniard Feliciano Lopez at the event which features a unique round-robin format.
Russian Marat Safin, the No.3 seed, also won his opening match, defeating Austrian Stefan Koubek 7-5 6-2.
A victory over compatriot Igor Kunitsyn would launch Safin into the final eight.
Other round-robin winners overnight were Chilean qualifier Paul Capdeville and France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Capdeville beat France’s Michael Llodra 6-2 2-6 6-1 and Mathieu downed Thailand’s Danai Udomchoke 6-2 6-3.
Top seed and defending champion James Blake, from the United States, and Australian Lleyton Hewitt, the No.2 seed, will take to the court in later matches.
Agence France-Presse