The reigning US Open champion was not the only top name to crash out, with former world number one Jelena Jankovic also sent packing. In contrast, Henin performed a great escape act to claw back from a set down to squeeze past Russian 27th seed Alisa Kleybanova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
She joined Nadal, Dinara Safina, Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro, and Andy Roddick in the last 16. Clijsters, who came into the tournament on the back of winning the warm-up Brisbane International, said she was bewildered by the experience. "The question is of course is, why? My coach, my fitness coach, are like 'How can something like this happen?'," she said.
"We haven't changed anything really, that's the thing. I was completely off." The diminutive Henin, the 2004 champion, was also staring at defeat after losing the opening set and falling 3-1 behind in the second to Kleybanova. But she drew on all her experience as a seven-time Grand Slam champion to bounce back, taking the second set and rattling through the third. "I kind of survived a little bit today," she Henin, playing in only her second tournament on her comeback from an 18-month retirement.
"It was so difficult for me after the last match. Physically, I suffered a little bit in the last two days. I'm very happy that I'm still in the tournament." She next plays fellow Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, who beat Italy's Sara Errani 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3. Safina, the second seed, clocked a rapid-fire 6-1, 6-2 thrashing of England's Elena Baltacha in her first match on Rod Laver Arena since she imploded during last year's final against Serena Williams.
The Russian took heart from a winning return at the scene of one of her worst days in tennis. She will next face Maria Kirilenko after the fellow Russian outlasted Italy's Roberta Vinci 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).
While Safina and Henin powered on, Jankovic looked like a spent force. On the men's side, Nadal was put through his paces by German 27th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber before winning a tense battle 6-4, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. He will next play Croat Ivo Karlovic who beat countryman Ivan Ljubicic. Scotland's Murray maintained his flawless form by advancing with a 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 win over Frenchman Florent Serra.
The 22-year-old, who next plays American John Isner, equalled his best performance here as he takes aim at a maiden Grand Slam title. Roddick ground out a 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) win over tenacious Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. It sets him up with a fourth round clash against Chilean 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez, who beat Kazak Evgeny Korolev 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. Del Potro fired past German Florian Mayer 6-3, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Results of day five, collated results from day five of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park here Friday (x denotes seeding):
Men's singles (3rd round): Andy Roddick (USA x7) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3); Fernando Gonzalez (CHI x11) bt Evgeny Korolev (KAZ) 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; Andy Murray (GBR x5) bt Florent Serra (FRA) 7-5, 6-1, 6-4; John Isner (USA x33 bt Gael Monfils (FRA x12) 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5); Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x4) bt Florian Mayer (GER) 6-3, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5; Marin Cilic (CRO x14) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI x19) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER x27) 6-4, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5; Ivo Karlovic (CRO) bt Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x24) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7).
Women's singles (3rd round): Dinara Safina (RUS x2) bt Elena Baltacha (GBR) 6-1, 6-2; Alona Bondarenko (UKR x31) bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB x8) 6-2, 6-3; Justin Henin (BEL) bt Alisa Kleybanova (RUS x27) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) bt Sara Errani (ITA) 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3; Maria Kirilenko (RUS) bt Roberta Vinci (ITA) 7-5, 7-6 (7/4); Zheng Jie (CHN) bt Marion Bartoli (FRA x11) 5-7, 6-3, 6-0; Nadia Petrova (RUS x19) bt Kim Clijsters (BEL x15) 6-0, 6-1; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x3) bt Angelique Kerber (GER) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.