Sony Ericsson WTA Tour : 2006


Clijsters, Mauresmo Push Ahead, Pierce Stunned by Benesova

Clijsters through to the third round of Australian Open 2006 after defeat of Meng Yuan from China. Amelie Mauresmo has overcome countrywoman Emilie Loit.

Clijsters, currently ranked No.2 in the world, was visibly bothered by a hip injury she suffered last week in Sydney but still managed to advance to the third round with a one-hour, 22-minute 64 62 victory over Chinese teenager Yuan Meng. Clijsters struggled with her consistency throughout the match, spraying 48 errors to just 19 winners, but managed to tighten the screws when it counted most, recording the first break of the match in the 10th game to take the first set and converting on three of six break points in the second set to put the match away in straights.

Mauresmo, ranked and seeded No.3, also had a tough time in her match but moreso thanks to a stubborn opponent, as she posted a 76(1) 62 victory over fellow Frenchwoman Emilie Loit in one hour, 38 minutes. The two countrywomen were neck-and-neck in the first set, exchanging their trademark fluid, topspin groundstrokes from the baseline, but it was Mauresmo who cracked open the match, cruising through the tie-break and closing out the set with an emphatic ace.

Fellow Top 5 player Mary Pierce was not so lucky, as the No.5 seed became the tournament\'s biggest casualty so far after a disastrous 63 75 loss to 42nd-ranked Czech player Iveta Benesova in a late afternoon match.


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