Clijsters Forced to Retire in Opening Match at Rogers Cup in Toronto

August 10, 2011 | By David Drucker
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Just like the men in Montreal, the women have just gotten underway with the Rogers Cup which is taking place in Toronto, Canada. Just like the men again, all the top tier names such as world number one and defending champion Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, second ranked Kim Clijsters of Belgium, Russia’s Maria Sharapova and American Serena Williams are all geared up and ready to go.

Similar to the upset news on the men’s side with Andy Murray falling in his opening round match, the women’s side had a shocking upset of their own with Kim Clijsters being forced to retire in her opening match as a result of an abdominal injury. Clijsters who was leading her opponent Zheng Jie of China, 6-3, 1-2, shook her head after playing a point where she knew she could not play on. This year has not been the best year in the health department for Clijsters, as she’s been hampered by injuries costing her precious playing time. As defending U.S. Open champion, fans and the media are a little worried on whether or not she’ll be healthy enough to defend her title or even participate in the tournament.

“I still have a few weeks until the U.S. Open and we’ll try to do everything to be ready,” said Clijsters.

Also in action was American Serena Williams who is coming off a title at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, Calif. Williams is riding extremely high on confidence and that showed in her opening round match where she routed Alona Bondarenko of the Ukraine, 6-0, 6-3. Serena, believe it or not, actually now benefits with Clijsters withdrawing as the two would have met in the third round, though Serena would have most likely been favored even being unseeded. Next up for Serena is Julia Goerges of Germany, who upset Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, 6-1, 6-3 in the first round.

Other notable names advancing thus far are Australia’s Sam Stosur, Andrea Petkovic of Germany and Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. Joining Clijsters in the bowl of upsets are Marion Bartoli of France who lost to Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-3, and Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova, seeded 12th, lost to Simona Halep of Romania, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

2011 Rogers Cup Results

►Jie Zheng (CHN) defeated [2] Kim Clijsters (BEL) 3-6, 2-1 ret.

►Serena Williams (USA) defeated Alona Bondarenko (UKR)

►[11] Andrea Petkovic (GER) defeated Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-2, 6-2

►[13] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) defeated Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-4, 6-1

►Iveta Benesova (CZE) defeated [16] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 7-5, 4-6, 1-3 ret.

►Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) defeated Gisela Dulko (ARG) 6-3, 6-4

►Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) defeated Shahar Peer (ISR) 6-1, 6-0

►Roberta Vinci (ITA) defeated Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 6-4, 6-2

►Ana Ivanovic (SER) defeated Shuai Zhang (CHN) 6-1, 6-1

 


David Drucker
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