Second see Clijsters crashes out of French Open

Second seed Kim Clijsters crashed out of the French Open on Thursday as Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus sent the US and Australian Open champion spinning to her worst grand slam defeat in nine years.

US and Australian Open champion Clijsters, playing in Paris for the first time in five years, had been cruising at one stage, leading by a set and 5-2 against the world No.114 before going down 3-6 7-5 6-1.

The 27-year-old Belgian suffered an astonishing collapse, squandering two match points in the eighth and 10th games of the second set against an opponent who had never before got beyond the second round at a grand slam.

Clijsters, whose participation had been in doubt after suffering a freak ankle injury while dancing at a cousin’s wedding, struggled to find any rhythm in the second round match, played on a blustery Philippe Chatrier court.

She committed a total of 65 unforced errors and 10 double faults before Rus unleashed a giant forehand to wrap up her biggest career win after two hours of action.

It was Clijsters’ earliest Grand Slam exit since a second round loss in Paris in 2002.

There was no sign of the drama to come in the early stages as Clijsters, the runner-up in 2001 and 2003, took a 3-0 lead in both the first two sets before she allowed the wiry Dutch girl to claw her way back.

Clijsters squandered two match points in the second set as left-hander Rus recovered from 2-5 down to level at 5-5 and then nipped ahead with a break to lead 6-5.

Rus levelled the tie when Clijsters unleashed a wild forehand.

Clijsters won the opening game of the decider, but that was as good as it got for the Belgian as Rus swept the next six games in succession.

Rus will face either Russia’s Maria Kirilenko or Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa for a place in the last 16.

Andy Murray labours into third round in Paris

Reuters - Andy Murray huffed and puffed past Italian Simone Bolelli 7-6 6-4 7-5 to book his place in the third round of the French Open on Thursday.

On a windswept court Philippe Chatrier, the fourth-seeded Briton showed signs of irritation but twice came back from a break down in the opener to force a tiebreak he won 7-3 as Bolelli made a flurry of unforced errors.

Murray also dropped serve in the second set and third sets of an error-ridden match, but managed to raise his game when it mattered to seal victory with a backhand winner down the line after two hours 51 minutes.

The Scot will face either France’s Arnaud Clement or German Michael Berrer for a place in the last 16.