Clijsters beats Garbin in Brisbane opener

US Open champion Kim Clijsters began her 2010 season with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 victory over Italian Tathiana Garbin in the first round of the Brisbane International on Sunday.

The Belgian top seed dropped her opening service game but then found her range with powerful groundstrokes that proved too much for the world number 59.

Clijsters, who will play home favourite Alicia Molik in the second round, wrapped up victory in under an hour.

"I felt like my groundstrokes were going good, I felt like I was really on top of my baseline (game), really changing up the direction of the rallies," Clijsters told reporters.

It was Clijsters first tournament appearance since October, when she lost in the last 16 of the Luxembourg Open to Patty Schnyder. After her wobbly start, the Belgian claimed 11 of the final 12 games.

"I think you need to find a good balance between being relaxed and being on top of your game, especially at the start of the season," the two-times grand slam winner said.

"There's a few details that can always get better," she added.

Her second round opponent Molik needed three sets to beat Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

Molik saved three break points at 4-4 in the deciding set before breaking Makarova's serve to love in the 10th game to claim her first WTA tour victory in two years.

Former world number one Justine Henin, making her return to the Tour after coming out of retirement, she faces second seed Nadia Petrova of Russia on Monday.