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Kim Clijsters continued her remarkable return to competitive tennis with victory over French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in Cincinnati.The Belgian, 26, is playing her first event after a two-year break during which she gave birth to a daughter.

And Clijsters was more than a match for sixth seed Kuznetsova, winning 6-4 4-6 6-2 in sweltering conditions.

Flavia Pennetta's superb run continued as she beat third seed Venus Williams for her 14th consecutive victory.

Venus made 38 unforced errors as 14th seed Pennetta outplayed the American to clinch her fourth victory in their seven meetings.

"I have to give her credit for playing well and keeping the ball in play," said Williams. "I just made too many errors.


"It's better than I expected. I'm very happy I have been able to stay focused"


Kim Clijsters

"After a while it was obvious that she was just keeping the ball in play and waiting for me to self-destruct. I kept pressing that red button today and it didn't work out."

Italian Pennetta will next face Daniela Hantuchova, who defeated Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (8-6) 0-6 7-6 (7-5).

Clijsters goes on to face the winner of the late match between world number one Dinara Safina and China's Peng Shuai.

The Belgian was magnificent from the baseline in the opening stages against Kuznetsova and looked set for a comfortable win at a set and 3-0 up.

But Kuznetsova pegged her back and saved two break points at 4-3 down, the second with a Hawkeye challenge, before getting a break of her own in the following game with another desperately close challenge.




606: DEBATE
"Huge win but Svetlana not in great form. Kim going away at the end, looking very fit and fresh. Svetlana looking spent"


herefordu

The Russian served out the set before the players took a 10-minute break ahead of the final set as the heat rule was invoked.

And the brief rest allowed Clijsters to regroup and wrestle the momentum away from the French Open champion with an early break in the decider as she powered to a stunning win.

"It's better than I expected," said the Belgian. "I'm very happy I have been able to stay focused.

"I was hitting the ball well on my groundstrokes but my serve was not going so well and she started to get the hang of it in the second set.

"But I made some adjustments and luckily I was able to come through."


Fourth seed Elena Dementieva eased past Romania's Sorana-Mihaela Cirstea 6-4 6-4, and the Russian will next play eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki who advanced when Hungary's Melinda Czink retired because of injury in the first set.