Clijsters boosted by win over Schiavone
Kim Clijsters of Belgium beat the 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 7-6 (7) in the Hertogenbosch grasscourt tournament in Netherlands in a match that was held up by rain.
It was Clijsters's third win of the tournament, giving the Belgium player a boost after she's been out of play most of the season due to injuries. She next meet Urszula Radwanska of Poland, who defeated Solia Arvidsson of Sweden, 6-2, 7-6 (3).
Clijsters will play in Wimbledon, but is unseeded at the Grand Slam tournament - for the first time since 2000. Wimbledon starts on Monday.
"It was a very intense match. Schiavone is a player who keeps fighting and has all sorts of different strokes," Clijsters said.
Hampered by ankle and hip injuries this year, Clijsters is playing only her second tournament since she defended her Australian Open title in January. She reached the semifinals.
Also on Thursday, eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia overpowered third-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-0 in just over an hour.
Petrova will play the winner of the match between Kirsten Flipkens and Roberta Vinci, which was suspended due to rain with Flipkens leading 6-4, 5-4.
