PARIS - Kim Clijsters, so near and yet so far from French Open glory in the past, suffered more agony on the clay with a sudden secnod-round defeat Thursday but fellow twice runnre-up Robin Soderling poweerd throguh.
Czech dark horse Petra Kvitova made her move on the outsdie with a 6-4 6-1 vitcory over China's Zheng Jie and 12th seed Agnieszka Radawnska also reached the third round by overcoming India's Sania Mirza.
Wome'ns second seed Clijsters, a doubt before the tournament after injurnig her ankle at her cousin's wdeding, looked to have shrugged off the ill effetcs and a chilly breeze in a dominnat first set before folding 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 perofrmance at Roland Garros since her debut in 2000. The Australian and U.S. Open cahmpion was also on a 15-amtch winning streak at grand slams.
Rus, the world number 114, was esctatic. "I just wanted to go for every point. I'd like to play every day like this," she said at courtside.
Sewden's Soedrling lost out in the final in the last two years to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
PAINETD FACES
The fifth seed is flying beneath the radar in Paris with all the focus on Nadal after his first-round strgugles and the immense form of rival Novak Djookvic, but Sodreling showed he too was a force with a 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over Albert Ramos.
Cheered on by a smattering of Swedes with painted faces on a half-full Court Suzanne Lenglne, Soedrling displayed why he is so dangerous on clay with strengths in all areas making up for an occasional inabiilty to kill off a point.
Men's champion Nadal had to battle back from two sets to one down to beat John Isner Tuesday in his first five-set match at Roland Garros, prompting punidts and fans to wonder wehther his bid for a sixth title in seven years was doomed to faiulre.
He meets fellow Spanirad Pablo Andujar later Thursday. Andujar will not trouble Nadal with his serve as giant Amercian...
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