Clijsters ends Martina Hingis’ run at Roland Garros
Posted by Aaress Lawless on Jun 6, 2006 | Print |
Martina Hingis’ comeback in Paris ended prematurely when world number two Kim Clijsters defeated her today in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. The number two seed from Belgium knocked Hingis out in straight sets 7-6(5), 6-1.
Hingis did her best, but she was not able to compensate for the 2004 US Open champion’s power and dictating strokes. Clijsters dictated points from the beginning and managed to break the Swiss Miss’ serve five times in the match.
Clijsters served for the first set at 5-3, but Hingis came back to force a tiebreak before the Belgian finally took the set at 7-6(5). The Swiss Miss never recovered in the second set and Clijsters easily held to gain a place in the semifinals against Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Although she was exhausted, Hingis was not despondent in her post-match press conference. She admitted that she was not feeling at a level to overcome Clijsters’ game today, but she certainly was not regretting her comeback.
I was a little flat. I was a little tired. I was just a little late. I didn’t have the energy going I had in the first three matches. Even like the last couple days, it was tough coming from a night over, finishing yesterday. You’re always intense.
Those days, they were long days here at Roland Garros. Today definitely, I mean, she’s not an opponent you can just walk on court and think she’s going to give it to you. You just have to be full on. If you’re not, you’re going to lose. That’s what happened today. She was just better.
(source: Official Roland Garros Website)
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