Clijsters defeats Kirilenko to reach Wimbledon fourth round
Kim Clijsters is through to the final 16 at Wimbledon after recording a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Maria Kirilenko in the third round.
Clijsters, who had burst out of the blocks in her opening two matches, made yet another confident start against Kirilenko, holding serve in the opening game and then winning four consecutive points to snare the first break of the match after the Russian had taken a 30-0 lead in her first service game.
It was the only break of the opening set, but it was enough for Clijsters to take the 1-0 lead in the match after a clean set of tennis where the eighth seed made just seven unforced errors and served with an impressive first serve percentage of 83% to ensure Kirilenko didn’t even have a chance to break serve in the opening set.
Clijsters created her first break point chance of the second set in its third game, and the netted backhand by Kirilenko ensured she converted it into a 2-1 lead.
A double fault to bring up deuce in the US Open champion’s next service game left the door ajar for Kirilenko, but a backhand winner down the line ensured the advantage went to Clijsters, and the next point so did the game as she consolidated the break.
An easy hold by Kirilenko followed, before a lapse in concentration saw Clijsters facing triple break point against her serve in the sixth game of the set. She saved one, but the world No. 28 put away an easy smash to ensure she converted he second opportunity into a break and the set was back on serve at 3-3.
Clijsters regrouped to establish a double break point chance the next game, with the Belgian making the most of it to again gain some breathing space in the set.
It was enough to extinguish Kirilenko’s challenge as Clijsters broke again in the ninth game of the set to take victory in just over an hour in the first match of day five out on court two.
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