Classy Clijsters outpowers Hingis

Tennis: Former world number one Martina Hingis was no match for Belgian second seed Kim Clijsters, who reached the semi-finals…

Tennis: Former world number one Martina Hingis was no match for Belgian second seed Kim Clijsters, who reached the semi-finals of the French Open with a 7-6 6-1 win on Tuesday.

Clijsters will celebrate her 23rd birthday on Thursday with a possible match against compatriot and defending champion Justine Henin Hardenne.

Henin-Hardenne, seeded fifth, was playing German Anna-Lena Groenefeld in another quarter-final on Tuesday.

"I knew I had to improve my game compared to the other matches. It was a very good first set, it was very close," said Clijsters, a finalist in Paris in 2001 and 2003.

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Hingis, who returned to the circuit this season after a three-year self-imposed exile from the game, used her tactical skills to force the Belgian into a tiebreak after breaking back twice.

However, it was not enough for the Swiss 12th seed, who looked short of power and she lost the tiebreak 7-5.

The second set was a mere formality for the Belgian, who broke three times to wrap up the match in 76 minutes, Hingis bowing out with a wide backhand.

It was Clijsters's second consecutive grand slam quarter-final triumph over Hingis, whom she beat at the Australian Open last January.
   
Hingis, had not lost before the semi-finals in her last five appearances at Roland Garros.