Clijsters wins again as Williams sisters go out

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.”