The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Clijsters sails into semifinals

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Saturday, May 06, 2006

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Sport - Tennis

Clijsters sails into semifinals

WARSAW: Kim Clijsters claimed her 10th consecutive victory over Italy's Francesca Schiavone to reach the semifinals of the J&S Cup here on Friday.

The top-seeded Belgian won 6-4, 6-4 and was never seriously troubled by her fifth-seeded opponent despite dropping her serve early in both sets.

``I felt pretty good out there today,'' said Clijsters. ``I did exactly what I had to do, which was to being aggressive and trying not to let her play the game she likes to play, which is moving her opponent around, mixing her game up and attacking with her forehand.''

It was Clijsters who often held the edge in the rallies, using her greater power either to put Schiavone on the defensive or force errors.

Ana Ivanovic claimed her first victory over Patty Schnyder in five attempts as she upset the Swiss No. 2 seed 6-3, 6-2.

Rochus in last four

In Munich, Olivier Rochus, one of the two seeded players left in the BMW Open, saved a set point and then served out the match to beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-2, 7-6(6) on Thursday for a place in the quarterfinals.

Qualifier Denis Gremelmayr, who had defeated top-seeded Guillermo Coria in the first round, reached his first career quarterfinal by beating Alexander Peya 6-4, 6-4.

``I just hope that I can keep on playing like this,'' the left-handed German said. ``I am just trying to play my best tennis.''

Also, Ivo Karlovic hit his 27th ace to complete a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(8) victory over Bjorn Phau, and Juergen Melzer beat Simon Greul 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.

Moya survives

At Oeiras, Portugal, former champion Carlos Moya regained his touch at the Estoril Open as he held off a late charge from Argentine Gustavo Marcaccio 6-1, 7-5.

Na Li in last four

China's Na Li surged into the semifinals for a second straight year at Estoril as she upset Argentine second seed Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-1 on Friday.

She faces former winner Emilie Loit, the seventh-seeded Frenchwoman, who upset third seed Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

Top seed Flavia Pennetta overcame Eleni Daniilidou of Greece 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 to keep her solid run on clay alive.

``I'm so excited to be in the semifinals again,'' said Na Li, who has played in only three career WTA clay tournaments — two of them in Estoril.

The results:

At Munich: ATP BMW Open: Singles: Quarterfinals: Jarkko Nieminen bt Robin Vik 7-5, 2-6, 6-2; Kristof Vliegen bt Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5, 6-4.

Juergen Melzer bt Simon Greul 6-3, 1-6, 6-4; Ivo Karlovic bt Bjorn Phau 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(8); Denis Gremelmayr bt Alexander Peya 6-4, 6-4; Olivier Rochus bt Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-2, 7-6(6).

At Warsaw (WTA J&S Cup): Quarterfinals: Kim Clijsters bt Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-4.

Second round: Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3, 6-1; Ana Ivanovic bt Patty Schnyder 6-3, 6-2; Anna Chakvetadze bt Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-3.

At Oeiras (ATP & WTA Estoril Open): Men: Second round: Frederico Gil bt Dmitry Tursunov 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; Guillermo Garcia-Lopez bt Carlos Berlocq 6-7(11), 7-5, 7-6(5); Carlos Moya bt Gustavo Marcaccio 6-1, 7-5; David Nalbandian bt Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 7-6(0).

Women: Quarterfinals: Na Li bt Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-1; Flavia Pennetta bt Eleni Daniilidou 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.

Second round: Lourdes Dominguez Lino bt Kaia Kanepi 6-1, 6-4; Emilie Loit bt Natalia Gussoni 6-2, 6-2; Li Na bt Katerina Bohmova 6-1, 6-0; Zheng Jie bt Laura Pous Tio 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. Doubles (quarterfinals): Neha & Shikha Uberoi bt Eleni Daniilidou & Jasmin Woehr 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. — Agencies

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