Clijsters sent packing in Berlin

Williams has never won a tournament on clay

 Second round results from Berlin

Second seed Kim Clijsters was knocked out of the German Open by Israel's Anna Smashnova.

Clijsters, who beat Venus Williams in the final of the Hamburg event last weekend, battled for almost three hours before going down 5-7 6-4 7-5 in their second round encounter.

Clijsters struggled throughout and had to fight back from 3-5 down to take the first set.

But Smashnova, ranked 35 in the world, was unfazed and continued to break Clijsters' serve at regular intervals to secure the second set.

It was a little erratic on both sides - I was a little disappointed

Serena Williams

Smashnova finally clinched victory on her fourth match point after two hours and 45 minutes.

"She just made less unforced errors than me," said Clijsters.

Serena Williams began her European clay season in style, dismissing Austria's Barbara Schett in straight sets.

Third seed Williams struggled early in the match but came through 6-3 6-2 in 65 minutes.

She broke Schett's serve to take a 5-3 first set lead and never looked back, easing to victory against the world number 22.

Despite the comfortable manner of her win, Williams, who has never won a tournament on clay, was not altogether happy with her performance.

"It was a little erratic on both sides - I was a little disappointed," she said.

Top seed Jennifer Capriati, who could regain the world No1 ranking by winning the event, beat fellow American Meilen Tu 6-4 6-3.

But the French Open champion required 96 minutes and three match points to get the better of her 55th-ranked opponent.

"It's almost like starting fresh. I feel strong but I don't want to think about the French," said Capriati.

Fifth seed Justine Henin needed three sets to see off German wildcard Martina Muller 2-6 6-2 6-3 in a battle of two 19-year-olds.

Another 19-year-old, 11th seed Daniela Hantuchova, beat Chanda Rubin 6-2 6-4 and 13th seed Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario beat fellow Spaniard Conchita Martinez 6-1 6-3.

Seventh seed Amelie Mauresmo brushed aside Zimbabwe's Cara Black 6-4 6-0 and 10th-seeded Silvia Farina Elia beat Germany's Anca Barna 6-3 7-5.

Eighth seed Sandrine Testud of France beat Russian Anastasia Myskina 6-4 7-5 and 14th seed Iroda Tulyaganova defeated Eva Dyrberg of Denmark 7-5 6-3.

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German Open second round results:

(4) S Williams (US) bt B Schett (Aut) 6-3 6-2
MG Mikaelian (Swi) bt A Roesch (Ger) 6-0 6-1
(8) S Testud (Fr) bt A Myskina (Rus) 6-4 7-5
(14) I Tulyaganova (Uzb) bt E Dyrberg (Den) 7-5 6-3
A Smashnova (Isr) bt (2) K Clijsters 5-7 6-4 7-5
(7) A Mauresmo (Fra) bt C Black (Zim) 6-4 6-0
(5) J Henin (Bel) bt M Muller (Ger) 2-6 6-2 6-3
(11) D Hantuchova (Svk) bt C Rubin (US) 6-2 6-4
(10) S Farina Elia (It) bt A Barna (Ger) 6-3 7-5
(1) J Capriati (USA) bt M Tu (USA) 6-4 6-3
E Likhovtseva (Rus) bt M Drake (Can) 3-6 6-4 ret
(13) A Sanchez-Vicario (Spa) bt C Martinez (Spa) 6-1 6-3
C Torrens Valero (Spa) bt D Bedanova (Cz) 7-6 4-6 7-5

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