(Kim Clijsters)
Second seed and current world number two Kim Clijsters received a shocking dose of reality from Russia’s Dinara Safina today at the Internazionali d’Italia in Rome, Italy. Safina scored a major upset when she defeated Clijsters in straight sets 6-4, 7-6(2).
Clijsters flirted with disaster in her three set, opening round match against Japan’s Akiko Morigami, but today the reigning U.S. Open champion was not able to make a three set comeback. Ironically, Clijsters had not even dropped a set in her previous six victories over Safina.
The early exit of Kim Clijsters from the Italian Open guarantees current world number one Amelie Mauresmo a few more weeks in the top spot.
Dinara Safina will face her fellow Russian, fifth seed Elena Dementieva, in the quarterfinals.
Photograph used with permission, courtesy of Antonio Costantinni and the Internazionali d”Italia.
