Clijsters shocked by Dechy

Elena Dementieva is through to round three

Click here for Friday's results

Top seed Kim Clijsters of Belgium crashed out of the second round of the Indian Wells Masters on Friday, falling 6-2 7-5 to Nathalie Dechy.

The world number three has been sidelined with an arm injury since losing to Jennifer Capriati in the Australian Open in January.

But against world number 35 Dechy, Clijsters was unable to shake off the rust, allowing the French woman to claim the biggest win of her career.

Clijsters compatriot, third seed Justine Henin clawed her way into the third round, rallying to beat Slovenia's Maja Matevzic 5-7 6-4 6-4.

Belgian Henin struggled the 73rd ranked Matevzic, needing over two hours in the desert sun to tame the lefthander.

Justine Henin in action against Maja Matevzic

A perfect passing shot down the line ended Henin's hopes of taking the first set to a tie-break.

In the second set it was a battling Henin who claimed the decisive break with a hammering forehand, going up 5-4 and then holding serve.

The Belgian carried the momentum into the third set breaking Matevzic at the first opportunity but Matevzic refused to fold breaking back to level the match at 4-4.

Matevzic looked in control as she powered to a 40-0 lead in the next game but Henin dug in to get the break back and then serve out the match.

It was a perfect day for the Russian contingent with all four players seeing action marching safely through to the next round.

Elena Dementieva recovered from a second set lapse to down American Amy Frazier 6-3 1-6 6-3.

Aiming high

"My goal this year is to win a tournament and not have as many injuries as last year," said Dementieva, the Olympic silver medallist.

"I think it is a great thing to win a title in your career."

Also collecting second round wins were Anastasia Myskina, Elena Likhovtseva and Tatiana Panova.

The only seeded casualty of the day was Spain's Cristina Torrens Valero who lost 6-4 6-1 to Zimbabwe's Cara Black.

---

Indian Wells Masters Friday results:
Elena Dementieva (Rus, 8) bt Amy Frazier (USA) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
Tatiana Panova (Rus, 24) bt Miriam Oremans (Ned) 6-2, 6-3
Elena Likhovtseva (Rus, 27) bt Jennifer Hopkins (USA) 7-5, 6-0
Anastasia Myskina (Rus, 28) bt Tara Snyder (USA) 6-2, 6-3
Adriana Serra Zanetti (Ita, 30) bt Rossana Neffa-De Los Rios (Par) 6-3, 6-3
Martina Sucha (Svk, 31) bt Jana Nejedly (Can) 6-3, 6-0
Justine Henin (Bel, 3) bt Maja Matevzic (Slo) 5-7 6-4 6-4
Silvia Farina Elia (Ita, 7) bt Evie Dominikovic (Aus) 6-4 3-6 6-4
Tamarine Tanasugarn (Tha, 14) bt Jana Kandarr (Ger) 6-2 6-3
Cara Black (Zim) bt Cristina Torrens Valero (Spa, 23) 6-4 6-1
Anne Kremer (Lux, 26) bt Petra Mandula (Hun) 4-6 6-3 6-3
Lilia Osterloh (USA) bt (29) Conchita Martinez (Spa) 6-2 6-7 (6-8) 7-5
Adriana Serra Zanetti (Ita, 30) bt Rossana Neffa-De Los Rios (Par) 6-3 6-3 Nicole Pratt (Aus, 32) bt Tina Pisnik (Slo) 2-6 6-4 6-3

Back to top