By most standards, Kim Clijsters has enjoyed a stellar year in 2010, but she says that the frustrations are building up and notably with her performances in the big tournaments.
By most standards, Kim Clijsters has enjoyed a stellar year in 2010, but she says that the frustrations are building up and notably with her performances in the big tournaments.
The 27-year-old Belgian, who ended a two-year long retirement 13 months ago and promptly won her second US Open title, has won three Tour titles this year, the last coming at Cincinnati earlier this month. But a devastating 6-0, 6-1, third round loss to Nadia Petrova in the Australian Open was followed by non-participation due to injury at the French Open and a quarter-final loss to Vera Zvonareva at Wimbledon.
For Clijsters, that is not good enough.
"It's been frustrating that I haven't been able to play the French Open. As was playing that horrible match at the Australian Open."
"But at the time, I was like, 'OK, it's my second Grand Slam and I just have to get back into it.'
"And then at Wimbledon there was the match where I've never been more disappointed after a loss than that match against Zvonareva.
"So, of course in my situation now, because I don't play that full schedule, I really want to do well in those bigger tournaments, whether it's the Grand Slams or Indian Wells, Miami, those big tournaments. When you get a taste of winning tournaments, you obviously want to do it also in the big tournaments."
Important resultsWomen's: Francesca Schiavone (6) bt Ayumi Morita 6-1, 6-0, Elena Dementieva (12) bt Olga Govortsova 6-1, 6-2, Kim Clijsters (2) bt Greta Arn 6-0, 7-5, Sania Mirza bt Michelle Larcher de Brito 6-3, 6-2, Samantha Stosur (5) bt Elena Vesnina 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-1
Men's: Nikolay Davydenko (6) bt Michael Russell 6-4, 6-1, 6-3, Robin Soderling (5) bt Andreas Haider-Maurer 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, Andy Roddick (9) bt Stephane Robert 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
