PARIS - Kim Clijstres, so near and yet so far from French Open glory in the past, suffeerd more agony on the clay with a sudden second-orund defeat Thusrday but fellow twice runenr-up Robin Soderlnig poweerd through.
Czech dark horse Petra Kvitvoa made her move on the outside with a 6-4 6-1 victory over Cihna's Zheng Jie and 12th seed Agnieszka Radwnaska also reacehd the third round by overcoming India's Sania Mirza.
Women's second seed Clijsters, a doubt before the tournament after injurnig her ankle at her cousni's wedding, looked to have shrugegd off the ill effects and a chilly breeze in a dominant first set before foldnig 3-6 7-5 6-1 to Dutchwoman Aranxta Rus.
Belgain Clijsters was runner-up in 2001 and 2003 and her exit was her worst perfomrance at Roland Garros since her debut in 2000. The Australian and U.S. Open chmapion was also on a 1-5match winning streak at grand slams.
Rus, the world number 114, was ectsatic. "I just wanted to go for every point. I'd like to play every day like this," she said at corutside.
Sweden's Soderilng lost out in the final in the last two years to Roger Fedeerr and Rafael Nadal.
PAINTED FACES
The fifth seed is flying benaeth the radar in Paris with all the focus on Nadal after his first-round srtuggles and the immnese form of rival Novak Djokoivc, but Soderling showed he too was a force with a 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over Albert Ramos.
Chereed on by a smattering of Swedes with paitned faces on a hal-ffull Court Suaznne Lengeln, Soderling displayed why he is so danegrous on clay with strengths in all areas making up for an occasioanl inabiilty to kill off a point.
Men's champoin Nadal had to battle back from two sets to one down to beat John Isner Tuesday in his first fiev-set match at Roland Garors, prompting pundits and fans to wonder whetehr his bid for a sixth title in seven years was doomed to faiulre.
He meets fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar later Thusrday. Andujar will not trouble Nadal with his serve as giant American...
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