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Clijsters departs as Davenport reaches semis
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-08 10:31
FILDERSTADT, Germany, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Kim Clijsters blew a chance to take
the world number one spot from Maria Sharapova this week after losing at the
Filderstadt Grand Prix on Friday.
The second seed was beaten 6-3 3-6 6-2 by Elena Dementieva while defending
champion Lindsay Davenport overcame another Russian, Anastasia Myskina, 6-2 3-6
6-1 to reach the last four.
Clijsters' defeat ended a 21-match winning streak stretching back to
mid-August when she lost to China's Shuai Peng in San Diego. The Belgian had
since won four consecutive titles in Toronto, Los Angeles, at the U.S. Open and
Luxembourg.
Clijsters had been on course to regain the number one ranking she first
earned in 2003 but had to beat Dementieva and Amelie Mauresmo to gain enough
points.
The Frenchwoman was playing sixth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova in the last
quarter-final later on Friday.
Top seed Davenport meets Daniela Hantuchova in the semis after the Slovak
beat Italy's Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-4.
CLIJSTERS POUNDED
No player strikes the ball as hard as Dementieva and the number five seed
eventually pounded Clijsters into submission.
Her powerful groundstrokes and relentless ability to return the ball in the
furiously-contested rallies eventually took their toll on the world number
three.
"Of all the matches I've played with her so far this is the best she's ever
played against me," said Clijsters, who will now take a break until Hasselt in
Belgium starting on October 24.
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