Clijsters Advances to Third Round; Stosur, Wozniacki Upset

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Clijsters Advances to Third Round; Stosur, Wozniacki Upset

By Chris Oddo

Photo Credit: Paul Gilham/Getty

(June 27, 2012)—Kim Clijsters is making the most of her last go-round at The Championships. The 29-year-old stepped up her game today to roll past Andrea Hlavackova in straight sets under the roof on Centre Court, 6-3, 6-3.

“I played well in my first round,” said Clijsters, “but I think that this was another step up so I’m very pleased today.”

Clijsters served 74 percent on the day and did not face a break point against the 26-year-old world No. 90.

“I’ve never played against my opponent,” Clijsters said. “Maybe in the beginning you're just a little bit more focused to just get used to her game and read her game a little bit better, and I felt I was into the match as soon as it started.”

Clijsters will play former Wimbledon semifinalist Vera Zvonareva in the third round. For now, the crowd is just happy to have her winning, and the feeling is mutual.

“I have so many memories,” when asked how the rousing applause after her match made her feel. “This court actually made me come back to professional tennis so it means the world to me to be out there again.”

Stosur’s Wimbledon Struggles Continues

Sam Stosur’s 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 upset at the hands of 72nd-ranked Arantxa Rus means that for the first time since 1939 no Australian men or women will have advanced to Wimbledon’s third round. Stosur, never one for excelling on the grass (she’s not advanced past round 3 in 10 career appearances), appeared to be rallying against the 21-year-old Dutchwoman today, but fell short in the end.

''It's a pretty woeful performance by all of us, but it's not through lack of trying or not wanting to be here or anything like that,” the fifth-seed said afterwards.

The Dutchwoman, who put in a career-best fourth-round performance at Roland Garros last month, broke Stosur three times on three opportunities in the final set to gain passage into the last 32. Rus will face Shuai Peng of China in the next round.

Wozniacki Squanders Match Points in Defeat

Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki suffered her earliest defeat in a Grand Slam since her first career appearance at the French Open in 2007 today, falling at the hands of Austrian Tamira Paszek, 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-4.

The 22-year-old Dane saved four set points in the first set to take the early lead, but failed to convert on two match points in the second with the Austrian serving at 4-5.

In the tiebreaker, 37th-ranked Paszek rallied to level the match.

Paszek then rallied from a break down in the third to serve for the match at 5-3. It was Wozniacki’s turn to come back from the brink then. She broke to get back on serve, but in the very next game her fate was sealed when she yielded another break to the Austrian.

Paszek will face Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in round two.

Li Upset, Radwanska and Lisicki Prevail

11th-seeded Na Li was upset by 22-year-old former world No. 23 Sorana Cirstea in straight sets today, while Agnieszka Radwanska and Sabine Lisicki advanced. 3rd-seeded Radwanska will face 20-year-old Brit Heather Watson in round three, while Lisicki will face 19-year-old American Sloane Stephens.

Stephens, playing in her first Wimbledon, upset 23rd-seeded Petra Cetkovska of the Czech Republic in three sets today.

Serena Williams Back in Action on Day 4

The bottom half of the ladies' singles draw will be back in action on Thurdsay, as 2nd-seeded Victoria Azarenka, 4th-seeded Petra Kvitova and 6th-seeded Serena Williams will all see second-round action.

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova, who had her second-round match with Tsvetana Pironkova suspended while leading 7-6, 3-1 in the second set, will open the action on Court No. 1 tomorrow.

Also in action are 9th-seeded Marion Bartoli, 10th-seeded Sara Errana, 22nd-seeded Julia Goerges, and a host of others.