Kim Clijsters withdraws against Marion Bartoli after injury in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open
World number two Kim Clijsters of Belgium forfeited in her match against the 15th
seeded French, Marion Bartoli, in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California on Tuesday evening. Clijsters had bagged the opening set by 6-3 and was trailing the second set 1-3 when she had to retire from the contest for the
reason of her tedious right shoulder, allowing Bartoli a pass to the quarter-final of the tournament.
It was the most agonizing way for the two times Indian Wells winner to end her voyage at the BNP Paribas Open as she was leading the contest 1-0. Signs of fatigue and discomfort were evident from Clijsters from the beginning of
the second set and she called for her trainer when the score was 1-2. The Belgian lost the next game in the set before conceding the match to her French opponent after 65 minutes of game play.
Talking about her injury, Clijsters said, “With those higher shots against the opponent today, I just feel it pinching a little bit more when I have to do that kick serve and when I have to reach that right arm up higher with the
forehand.”
Clijsters’ hopes of regaining the top spot in world rankings also vanquished after her ejection from the Paribas Open, as the world number one Caroline Wozniacki is still competing in the tournament. The Belgian had been using
painkiller medicines to overcome her persistent shoulder injury even before she won her fourth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.
The second seeded Belgian has been in sublime form at the Paribas Open and won her initial round matches assertively, without hinting debilitating physical fitness. She started off the match against Bartoli in her typical aggressive
manner and took the first set comprehensively. The Belgian served with 62 per cent accuracy and spilled out five double faults, indicative of her sore shoulder. She barely secured 54 per cent of total serve points in the contest and hit just one ace.
The Frenchwoman Bartoli served poorly in the curtailed version of the contest, delivering 51 per cent first serve on target and giving away six double faults. She struggled in the first set against the world number two but got
into the lead of 3-1 before her opponent called off the match.
The Belgian broke Bartoli’s serve three times in the first set and dropped her serve once to race to a 5-3 lead. She capitalized upon four costly double faults form her opponent very well and sealed off the opener at 6-3.
A significant drop was observed in the game of Clijsters in the beginning of the second set as she was broken by Bartoli in the third game to trail 2-1. The Belgian couldn’t bear the pain in her shoulder and retired from the contest
in the most unfortunate manner.
Bartoli will now face the 19th seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in the round of eight to battle for a berth in the semi-final of the BNP Paribas Open this week. Ivanovic upset defending champion and her compatriot, Jelena
Jankovic, in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, en route to the quarter-final.
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