• Rogers Cup

Clijsters suffers new injury setback

A dejected Kim Clijsters leaves the court © Getty Images

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World No. 2 Kim Clijsters incurred another injury setback during her second round match at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, forcing the Belgian to retire from the tournament.

Clijsters withdrew while leading 6-3 1-2 against China's Jie Zheng. The 28-year-old whinced and shook her head after hitting a forehand in the fourth game of the second set, succumbing to an apparent stomach muscle problem.

A former winner of the event in 2005, Clijsters enjoyed a winning start to 2011, claiming the Australian Open in January. However, the remainder of her year has been marred by injury, hurting her right ankle in April before withdrawing from tournaments in Rome and Madrid due to shoulder and wrist complaints respectively. The latest injury concern comes less than three weeks prior to the final grand slam of the year, the US Open.

Fellow former world No. 1 Serena Williams encountered no such concerns as she continued her impressive return to the court, thrashing Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko 6-0 6-3 in the opening round. The American won last week's WTA Tour event at the Bank of the West Classic, and never looked troubled against Bondarenko, losing just four points on her serve throughout the match.

Andrea Petkovic was too strong for Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard. The eleventh seed picked up a seemingly comfortable 6-2 6-2 victory, but did not have it all her own way, having to save five break points during the win.

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska breezed by Elena Vesnina 6-4 6-1. An error-riddled performance from the Russian, including eight double-faults, ensured the 13th-seeded Radwanska had an easy passage through to round two.

Other noteable first round winners on Tuesday included Ana Ivanovic, Daniela Hantuchova and Shuai Peng, while Canadian wildcard Aleksandra Wozniak made short work of Shahar Peer, winning 6-0 6-1 in a staggering 43 minutes.

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