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Clijsters survives Barrios scare
Source: Agencies |
February 11, 2011, Friday
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KIM Clijsters lost the first set but roared back to beat Germany's Kristina Barrois 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 in the second round of the Open Gaz de France in Paris on Wednesday.
The Belgian, who won the Australian Open last month, can take the No. 1 spot from the absent Dane Caroline Wozniacki if she reaches the semifinals at Stade Coubertin - just a short walk from Paris's more famous tennis venue Roland Garros.
After losing the first four games against world No. 78 Barrois on the hardcourt, the top seed's hopes of such success looked bleak with her serve erratic and forehand often long. Clijsters pulled herself out of the rut by reeling off a string of winners but a drive volley into the net cost her the first set.
Barrois continued to trouble her opponent with a cunning sliced backhand but her confidence gradually drained as Clijsters upped the tempo and lifted the crowd out of their early state of shock.
"In the second set I got it together and in the third set I just tried to keep the pressure on," Clijsters said courtside.
Andrea Petrovic, the sixth seed, also struggled against fellow German Angelique Kerber before prevailing 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 while Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer dispatched Russian Elena Vesnina 7-6 (1), 6-2 in one hour 35 minutes.
Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia also moved into the quarterfinals, defeating American teenager Melanie Oudin 6-4, 7-6 (5).
The Belgian, who won the Australian Open last month, can take the No. 1 spot from the absent Dane Caroline Wozniacki if she reaches the semifinals at Stade Coubertin - just a short walk from Paris's more famous tennis venue Roland Garros.
After losing the first four games against world No. 78 Barrois on the hardcourt, the top seed's hopes of such success looked bleak with her serve erratic and forehand often long. Clijsters pulled herself out of the rut by reeling off a string of winners but a drive volley into the net cost her the first set.
Barrois continued to trouble her opponent with a cunning sliced backhand but her confidence gradually drained as Clijsters upped the tempo and lifted the crowd out of their early state of shock.
"In the second set I got it together and in the third set I just tried to keep the pressure on," Clijsters said courtside.
Andrea Petrovic, the sixth seed, also struggled against fellow German Angelique Kerber before prevailing 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 while Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer dispatched Russian Elena Vesnina 7-6 (1), 6-2 in one hour 35 minutes.
Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia also moved into the quarterfinals, defeating American teenager Melanie Oudin 6-4, 7-6 (5).
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