Nadal advances; Clijsters ousted in Paris

Associated Press

PARIS

After losing two match points in the second set and feeling her confidence fading, Kim Clijsters watched the match slip away Thursday at the French Open.

The two-time French Open runner-up, seeded second this year, lost to 114th-ranked Arantxa Rus 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.

“I started doubting a little bit,” said Clijsters, who played only her second match in two months after shoulder and ankle injuries. “When you start doubting yourself on any surface, but for me definitely on clay, it’s the wrong attitude to have.”

Maria Sharapova also struggled, but the seventh-seed won 11 straight games after trailing 4-1 in the second set and beat 17-year-old Caroline Garcia 3-6, 6-4, 6-0. No. 6 Li Na and No. 9 Petra Kvitova also advanced.

Five-time champion Rafael Nadal, Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray, two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling and No. 10 Mardy Fish reached the third round.

Two days after Nadal was pushed to five sets for the first time in his career at Roland Garros, the top-ranked Spaniard won in three, beating Pablo Andujar 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

Nadal trailed 5-1 in the third set but forced the tiebreaker. He will face Antonio Veic, who eliminated No. 28 Nikolay Davydenko 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.

Rus, the 2008 Australian Open junior champion, reached the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.

A few hours later on the same center court, Sharapova was at first outplayed by Garcia, a wild card who was the youngest player remaining in the women’s draw.

“She played unbelievable in the first set and a half,” Sharapova said. “There wasn’t much I could do.”

But despite the strong wind on Court Philippe Chatrier, Sharapova was able to get her game under control and take charge.

“The conditions were tough and she was playing well and I had to do something different,” Sharapova said.

Sharapova has not won the French Open, the only Grand Slam title not on her resume. Garcia was playing in only her second Grand Slam tournament, and second tour-level tournament overall. She reached the second round at the Australian Open in January where she lost to Ayumi Morita, and then reached the semifinals of the girls’ tournament.

She already has at least one fan.

“Girl sharapova is playing is going to be No.1 in world one day caroline garcia, what a player u heard it here 1st,” Murray tweeted after he beat Simone Bolelli 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-5.

Li beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-4, 7-5, and Kvitova defeated Zheng Jie 6-4, 6-1.