World No.7 and third seed Samantha Stosur worked hard to defeat Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 3-6 6-4 and advance to the quarterfinals of the AEGON International. Stosur scored 13 aces, saved 10 of 13 break points and won her opponent’s serve four times en route to the fourth straight win over Hantuchova.

The 2010 French Open finalist has now played quarterfinals or better of the last six events she has entered. In addition, the Australian has recorded her 300th career victory, the 34th this season, and her singles win-loss record is 300-215 now.

Unlike Stosur who faced difficulties against Hantuchova, fifth seed Kim Clijsters followed up her straightforward 6-1 6-1 victory over compatriot Yanina Wickmayer in the first round of the AEGON International with a 6-1 6-0 win over Lucie Safarova. Impressively, the second round match was over in just 38 minutes! (photo: sr_cranks)

The left foot injury Kim Clijsters sustained during the Fed Cup tie against Estonia last month has taken its toll and now it’s confirmed that the Belgian will miss the 2010 French Open.

The world No.10 Clijsters hasn’t played the French Open since reaching the semifinals in 2006 and will be replaced by Stephanie Dubois this year. However, the Belgian two-time Grand Slam champion is working on being ready for the season on grass and is expected to play at Easbourne prior to Wimbledon.

The latest news is also that Sania Mirza, Urszula Radwanska, Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Sabine Lisicki will also miss Roland Garros and will be replaced by Katie O’Brien, Anne Keothavong, Ekateryna Bychkova and Johanna Larsson. (source: On the Baseline, photo by our reader Tony)

Kim Clijsters’ first appearance in a clay-court tournament in three years and her first one since coming back to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour wasn’t successful.

The former world No.1, who is back in the Top 10 as of this week, flew over the Atlantic Ocean to the Andalucia Tennis Experience in Marbella fresh off her last week’s victory at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. However, the third-seeded Belgian quickly ended her successful ways by falling to 258th-ranked Spanish qualifier Beatriz Garcia Vidagany 7-5 4-6 6-4 in the second round.

Clijsters, a wildcard at the event in southern Spain, had survived a three-setter in the first round against Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru.

The 21-year-old Garcia Vidagany is making her WTA Tour main draw debut. Her first Tour-level victory came against world No.87 Kristina Barrois in the first round of the Andalucia Tennis Experience and she quickly followed her first Top 100 win with a Top 10 win. (photo: sr_cranks)

Former world No.1 Kim Clijsters took less than an hour to beat Venus Williams 6-2 6-1 and claim her 37th career title and her second one at the Sony Erisson Open in Miami.

Clijsters faced no break points throughout the final. In addition, she won 17 points in a row in the second set, while Williams won only eight points throughout the set.

The third-seeded Williams was one victory away from winning her fourth title at the Sony Erisson Open and also her third straight title, but the 14th-seeded Belgian ended the 15-match winning streak of the American seven-time Grand Slam champion. The two are now leveled at 6-6 in career meetings, with Clijsters winning both their encounters since returning to the Tour.

Clijsters defeated the following players on her way to the $700,000 prize in Miami: Petra Kvitova, Shahar Peer, last year's champion Victoria Azarenka, Samantha Stosur, Justine Henin and finally Venus Williams.

The 26-year-old Clijsters is expected to climb to spot No.10 in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings next week, which will be her highest ranking since coming back to professional tennis. (photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Kim Clijsters won her 24th matchup with fellow Belgian former world No.1 Justine Henin 6-2 6-7(3) 7-6(6) to advance to the Sony Ericsson Open final where her opponent will be third seed Venus Williams.

Nobody expected a thriller when the 14th-seeded Clijsters held a point for a 6-2 4-0 lead. However, Henin, a wildcard, fought back and won the second set in a tiebreak. The third set was a see-saw ending up with another tiebreak, which Clijsters won after ups and downs of both players.

Clijsters will have a chance to win her second title at the Sony Ericsson Open and even her head-to-head record against three-time Miami champion Williams to 6-6. (photo: Twenty90seven)