Clijsters to face Henin in semis

Clijsters is playing in Eastbourne for the second time

Defending champion Kim Clijsters cruised into the semi-finals of the Hastings Direct Championships with victory over Francesca Schiavone.

Clijsters won 6-2 6-1 in windy conditions in Eastbourne.

"It was not possible to play your best tennis out there," she said. "The wind was just changing the ball the whole time, it was just swirling around."

Clijsters will now play fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, who beat Elena Likhovtseva 6-2 6-4.

"It will be a tough match as ever against Justine," said Clijsters.

"A lot of people assume there is a big rivalry between us because we come from the same country but I don't see it that way.

"The media likes to make something of it but they don't see us talking in the locker rooms and behind the scenes.

"We are different personalities but that doesn't mean to say I don't like her.

"She deserves everything she has had from the game and we've had fun together this week and at Fed Cup matches for Belgium."

Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova saved three match points before overcoming seventh seed Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 5-7 7-5 7-6 (7-4).

The Russian fourth seed received a code violation warning for smashing the ball into the crowd after double-faulting in the third-set tiebreak but she recovered her composure to advance.

She will face Anastasia Myskina, also of Russia, in the semis after the fifth seed ended Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy's run with a 6-4 6-4 victory in the final quarter-final match of the day.