The top-ranked Belgian beat her 19-year-old opponent to stay on track for a fourth title at this clay-court warmup for the French Open. Henin won the French in 2003, '05 and '06.

"It gives me a lot of confidence when I win here, especially since I like to take a rest before the French Open," Henin said.

Malek was rattled facing this caliber of player.

"I had no idea she played that fast," she said. "I was too nervous. I'd never seen her before except on television," Malek said.

Defending champion Nadia Petrova, No. 4 Martina Hingis and No. 12 Ana Ivanovic also advanced on a day when several players had to finish rain-delayed matches before playing a second match.

The seventh-seeded Petrova, who beat Henin in last year's final, topped Severine Bremond 6-4, 6-2 to reach the third round.

Hingis, the 1999 champion, edged Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5, 7-6 (7) on her return to the tour after six weeks out with tendinitis. Ivanovic beat Elena Likhovtseva 6-3, 6-2.

"I didn't want it to go three sets," Hingis said. "I didn't want it to go three sets. I'm not 100 percent (physically) ready to come back, but I don't want to wait any longer."