• BNP Paribas Open

Clijsters forced to withdraw, Ivanovic stuns Jankovic

Kim Clijsters had won the first set 6-3 against Marion Bartoli © PA Photos

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Kim Clijsters is out of the BNP Paribas Open after withdrawing from her third-round clash with Marion Bartoli due to a shoulder injury.

Clijsters, the world No. 2, won the opening set 6-3 before retiring at 3-1 down in the second after the injury, which has troubled her since the Australian Open, flared up.

"When I'm not training it feels fine but as I got into hitting a little bit more again, it slowly just flared up a little bit," Clijsters said. "On hard courts I know that I am able to control it. I'm concerned for what's coming up next, and that's the claycourt season."

Elsewhere, Ana Ivanovic gave a reminder of her talents by sending Jelena Jankovic crashing out. Former world No. 1 Ivanovic, who exited the Australian Open in the opening round, won 6-4 6-2 - her sixth triumph over Jankovic in ten meetings.

Although she enjoyed a significant power advantage, Ivanovic was still forced to battle for the victory, saving six of seven break points as her second serve misfired.

In a match of fine margins, Ivanovic's composure on the crucial points proved the difference - and allowed her to claim four games against the serve en route to victory.

Four top ten seeds tumbled on Tuesday, but world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki made sure she did not join them despite dropping the first set against Alisa Kleybanova. Once she got going, Wozniacki was in control and dropped just four games in the final two sets of her 2-6 6-3 6-1 victory.

Fifth seed Francesca Schiavone was one of the favourites to lose but the Italian fighter did not go quietly in an epic 6-4 3-6 7-6 loss to No. 10 seed Shahar Peer.

And in a match that eclipsed Schiavone's for length and drama, eighth seed Victoria Azarenka knocked out ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 4-6 6-3 7-6 in a three-hour epic featuring more breaks of serve than games held.

In the late match, two former No. 1 players stepped onto the court but Maria Sharapova showed she remains closer to her peak than Dinari Safina, cruising to a 6-2 6-0 victory in rapid time.

With Safina's exit, Shuai Peng was the only other non-seeded player in action and she surprised top 20 player Nadia Petrova with a hard-fought 6-4 5-7 6-3 triumph, evening up their career encounters 2-2. In the other match Yanina Wickmayer edged out Dominka Cibulkova 7-5 7-5.

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