Second-ranked Kim Clijsters' failed to receive much attention with Serena and Venus Williams returning to the competition this week, but here it is, the Belgian surprisingly lost in the second round of her home tournament, the Unicef Open. Her conqueror – Italian world No.81 Romina Oprandi, who is now celebrating her greatest career achievement. Final score: 7-6(5) 6-3.

Not only has Clijsters lost, but in the first set she appeared to have injured right ankle. The former world No.1 will undergo some tests to see how her ankle is doing, and now even her participation at Wimbledon is in doubt. Remember, only weeks ago Clijsters was healing her right ankle injury sustained at a wedding?

At the French Open, her first tournament after the recovery from the injury, Clijsters was also upset in the second round, by Arantxa Rus, ranked outside Top 100. (photo: krissaconnection)

The best thing in the second part of Justine Henin’s career would be a Wimbledon title and even though her coach Carlos Rodriguez doesn’t believe, or at least publicly, that she is capable of winning the grass court Grand Slam just yet, the Belgian former world No.1 is on a very good way to "complete" her career.

The top-seeded Henin defeated Germany's seventh seed Andrea Petkovic 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the final of the Unicef Open played on grass. She needed three sets to win the last match of the event and rallied from 3-0 in the decider, but a win is a win and I see no reason for Henin not to go all the way to winning her first Wimbledon title.

The Unicef Open title is Henin’s second since ending her retirement in January and her 43rd career title. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

Former world No.1 Ana Ivanovic won in three sets in the first round of the $220,000 Unicef Open against Sofia Arvidsson 4-6 6-0 6-1, but then fell in the next round already, to seventh seed Andrea Petkovic. After losing the first set, the world No.45 Ivanovic took the second set in a tie-break, but won only one game in the decider to let Petkovic advance with a 6-4 6-7(4) 6-1 victory.

Although the outcome of this match can’t be called an upset, we still perceive Ivanovic as a top player, despite her constant losses. However, there is one favorable circumstance – Ivanovic could soon have a soul mate in Dinara Safina who seems to be rapidly approaching just as huge a slump. (photo: sr_cranks)

Top seed Justine Henin was an easy opening-round winner at the Unicef Open, formerly known as Ordina Open, while twice defending champion Tamarine Tanasugarn lost in the first round of the tournament where she won two of her three WTA titles.

Justine Henin defeated Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-2 and will play Roberta Vinci in the next round. It’s Henin’s first match on grass in three years. The $220,000 Unicef Open is the last tuneup for Wimbledon, the only major Henin still hasn’t won. Her win-loss record on grass is 46-10 now.

Twice defending champion Tamarine Tanasugarn won the first set, but lost to Australian qualifier Anastasia Rodionova 1-6 7-6(5) 6-3. The Thai Tanasugarn beat Yanina Wickmayer in the 2009 final, while two years ago she beat Dinara Safina, who has also exited too early this time. (photo: pfctdayelise)

The grasscourt Grand Slam is just days away and former world No.1 Dinara Safina is not going there with much confidence. The Russian, now ranked outside the Top 20, at No.21, who was a semifinalist at Wimbledon last year, has lost five successive matches: second round in Stuttgart to Shahar Peer, and then opening matches to Alexandra Dulgheru in Rome, Klara Zakopalova in Madrid, Kimiko Date Krumm at the French Open and the one yesterday on the grass of the Unicef Open to Magdalena Rybarikova.

World No.45 Rybarikova had entered the match at the Unicef Open with a 0-2 record against Safina, but the Slovakian converted five of her 11 break chances, compared to Safina’s three of 11, and edged the second seed 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 in the first round. Safina could find consolation in the fact that Rybarikova's sole Tour title came on grass, in Birmingham.

Additional info: Safina’s former coach Zeljko Krajan is now coaching Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova, who beat 16-year-old Brit Laura Robson 6-3 6-4 to advance to the Unicef Open second round. (photo: chascow)