Belgian Clijsters makes stunning return

CINCINNATI, Ohio, (Reuters) – Kim Clijsters made a  stunning return to tennis after a two-year absence when she  beat world number 13 Marion Bartoli of France 6-4 6-3 in the  first round of the Cincinnati Open yesterday.
The former world number one, who gave birth to her first  child in February of last year, outplayed the former Wimbledon  runner-up in one hour, 22 minutes.
“To have won my first match feels really good,” Clijsters  said in a courtside interview. I surprised myself a little with  the way I started and then I kept fighting and trying to stay  focused. I felt good out there.”
Bartoli had won her previous tournament in Stanford,  California, but was shocked by Clijsters’ early onslaught.
The Belgian dropped just five points as she charged to a  4-0 lead and though Bartoli hit back to level at 4-4, Clijsters  broke two games later to take the opening set.
After saving two break points in the third game of the  second set, Clijsters broke to lead 3-1 and held her nerve to  set up a meeting with Patty Schnyder of Switzerland.
Earlier, Ana Ivanovic and Victoria Azarenka fended off  tough opposition to reach the second round.
Former French Open champion Ivanovic recovered from a poor  start to beat American teenager Melanie Oudin 2-6 6-1 6-1 while  ninth seed Azarenka saw off Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-3 7-6.
Azarenka, who has won three tournaments this year, has been  tipped as a future world number one but the 20-year-old said  she did not want to get carried away.
“It’s nice that people talk about me maybe being number one  at some time but I’m not really focused on that,” she said.  “I’m focused on improving my game and taking it step by step.”
Former world number one Ivanovic looked in danger of a  shock defeat when 17-year-old Oudin, ranked 68th, ripped though  the first set of their match.
The Serb had trouble with her ball toss early on but  recovered her composure to storm back in the next two sets.
“I didn’t start so well and I had lots of unforced errors  and lots of double faults,” said Ivanovic, who now plays  Melinda Czink of Hungary.
“But after the first set I just tried to talk to myself and  just try to convince myself I have to be aggressive and play  the way I should play and not wait for mistakes.”
Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko set up a meeting  with second seed Serena Williams after she crushed Magdalena  Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-2 6-2.
World number one Dinara Safina begins her title bid on  today with a second-round meeting with Roberta Vinci of  Italy.