CINCINNATI, (Reuters) – Unseeded Kim Clijsters reached the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open with a 6-4 4-6 6-2 win over French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova yesterday while Serena and Venus Williams were eliminated.
Second seed Serena, struggling with a virus, lost 7-5 6-4 to Austria’s Sybille Bammer while in-form Italian Flavia Pennetta ended the hopes of third seed Venus with a 7-6 6-4 victory.
Former world number one Clijsters, in her first tournament after a two-year break during which she had her first child, won an enthralling two-hour encounter with Kuznetsova.
“Physically I’ve been training harder than ever,” the Belgian told reporters. “I didn’t doubt myself (in the third set).
“I have to say I feel really good. I don’t feel tired or drained or anything. Just a few little aches and pains from getting back into playing matches.”
Retrieving everything, Clijsters broke in the second game of the match and though Kuznetsova levelled at 4-4, she snatched the set when the sixth-seeded Russian netted a backhand.
The 26-year-old looked set to win in straight sets when she led 3-0 in the second but suddenly Kuznetsova hit form and levelled at 3-3.
Clijsters thought she had a 5-3 lead only for her opponent to correctly challenge a call. The Russian then broke in the following game before serving out for the set.
Trading heavy groundstrokes, Kuznetsova saved a break point in the fourth game of the decider before Clijsters stepped up another level and broke twice to seal victory.
Serena was a shadow of the player who won Wimbledon last month and Bammer took full advantage to clinch a meeting with Jelena Jankovic or Victoria Azarenka.
Venus made 38 unforced errors as 14th seed Pennetta outplayed the American to clinch her fourth victory in their seven meetings.
“I’m really happy,” Pennetta said. “After winning last week in Los Angeles I took a lot of confidence and it showed on the court today.”
Pennetta, who has now won 14 consecutive matches, constantly made Williams play one more shot than she wanted and unleashed a series of stunning passing strokes herself.
The Italian won the tiebreak 7-2 and one break in the second set was enough to give her victory.
“I have to give her credit for playing well and keeping the ball in play,” Williams said. “I just made too many errors.
“After a while it was obvious that she was just keeping the ball in play and waiting for me to self-destruct. I kept pressing that red button today and it didn’t work out.”