Clijsters reaches Antwerp semis

Belgian Kim Clijsters celebrates after defeating Serbian Ana Ivanovic during their quarter final match at the Proximus Diamond Games WTA tennis tournament in Antwerp, 16 February 2007. Clijsters defeated Ivanovic 6-2, 6-1 and qualify herself for the half-final.

Second seed Kim Clijsters cruised into the semi-finals of the Diamond Games in Antwerp with a 6-2 6-1 thrashing of Serbian eighth seed Ana Ivanovic.

The Belgian, in her final tournament on home soil before she retires at the end of the year, now meets Tatiana Golovin who beat Elena Likhovtseva 7-6 7-5.

Russia's Anna Chakvetadze upset in-form third seed Nadia Petrova 6-3 6-4 to set up a semi-final with Amelie Mauresmo.

Top seed Mauresmo of France beat Russian Dinara Safina 6-1 6-3.

I am just focusing on each day and each game, Kim said.

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The 19-year-old Chakvetadze has already won the Hobart title this year and made the last eight at the Australian Open.

"I am starting to play better and better," said Mauresmo. "So many things fit together now."

If she wins her next two matches, Mauresmo will finally be able to claim the racquet trophy which goes to the first player to win the tournament three times in any five-year span.

"It will be good to get to the final and then we will see," she said. "The opposition is of such quality that I cannot look beyond that."

Speaking after her win, Clijsters said: "I was hoping it would not be the last time. I'm so happy I can continue tomorrow.

"I feel good and the crowd again were terrific. It's such a great feeling out there.

"But I am just focusing on each day and each game. Hopefully I can make it through to the final on Sunday."
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Clijsters wins Diamond Games opener

Belgian Kim Clijsters celebrates after wining the second round match of the Proximus Diamond Games WTA tennis tournament against Russian Olga Poutchkova in Antwerp, 14 February 2007. Clijster won 6-0, 6-2.

ANTWERP, Belgium -- Kim Clijsters won the first match of her last home tournament Wednesday, beating Olga Poutchkova 6-0, 6-2 to advance into the quarterfinals of the Diamond Games.

Despite a recent recovery from the flu and a sore hip, the second-seeded Belgian won easily and enjoyed a standing ovation from the 10,000-strong crowd at the Sports Palace.

"It is so nice when everyone is backing you like that," said Clijsters, who grew up near the venue.

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Despite her youth, the 23-year-old Clijsters said she will retire at the end of the year. She wants to start a family and has seen her playing time shortened by injury.

She did not want the incessant cheers Wednesday to sound like a goodbye, though.

"I'll be back on Friday, and I hope it will not be my last match," Clijsters said.

Earlier, Tatiana Golovin of France upset fifth-seeded Patty Schnyder 6-7 (2) 7-6 (5) 6-2 and joined Clijsters in the quarterfinals. Eighth-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia beat Anastasiya Yakimova 6-3, 6-2.

Anna Chakvetadze of Russia rallied to beat Sybille Bammer 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Bammer was playing her third match in four days. The Austrian won the Pattaya Open on Sunday and then played in the first round in Antwerp on Tuesday.

Bammer still fought off five match points before finally giving in to fatigue and her opponent.

Two-time defending champion Amelie Mauresmo opens her campaign for the diamond racket trophy on Thursday. If the top-seeded Frenchwoman wins the tournament this week, she will get to keep the gold- and gem-encrusted racket.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
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Tennis star named UN ambassador

Ms Sharapova said she was delighted with her new role

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova has been named as a goodwill ambassador for the UN development agency, UNDP.

The 19-year-old will focus on projects dealing with the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Signed on for a symbolic $1 (51 pence) the world's top-ranked female player said it was "one of my proudest contracts ever".

Ms Sharapova immediately gave $100,000 to projects tackling the world's worst nuclear accident.

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Personal connection

She explained that the issues were important to her as she had a personal connection with the area.

After the accident and just before she was born, Ms Sharapova's father and pregnant mother fled from the Belarussian city of Gomel, some 80 miles (128km) north of Chernobyl.

They went to Siberia where their daughter was born in 1987.

"That's why it means so much to me to be a part of this project because I was sort of part of it as well. I hope that I can go there on field trips," Ms Sharapova said.

She added that she was more nervous about this new role than before a Grand Slam tournament.

The tennis pro has set up a private foundation which will channel funds into eight projects in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

The World Health Organisation estimates that some 9,300 people will die from cancers caused by Chernobyl's radiation.
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Petrova reaches Antwerp quarters

Russian Nadia Petrova shows a clinched fist after defeating compatriot Vera Zvonareva during their second round match at the Proximus Diamond Games WTA tennis tournament in Antwerp, 15 February 2007.

Third seed Nadia Petrova beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the Diamond Games in Antwerp.

Petrova, who is going for back-to-back titles after winning in Paris last week, will next meet compatriot and seventh seed Anna Chakvetadze.

Elena Likhovtseva progressed when fourth seed Elena Dementieva withdrew because of illness trailing 6-2 1-1.

Top seed Amelie Mauresmo plays Virginie Razzano later on Thursday.

Petrova claims Paris Open title

Russia's Nadia Petrova holds her trophy after winning over Czech Lucie Safarova at the end of their WTA Paris Indoor Open tennis final match, 11 February 2007 at the Pierre de Coubertin stadium. Petrova won the final 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Nadia Petrova came from a set and a break down to beat Czech player Lucie Safarova in the Paris Open final.

The Russian won 4-6 6-1 6-4 against Safarova, who beat Svetlana Kuznetsova and ex-world number one Justine Henin on her way to the final.

Unseeded Safarova, 20, took the first set in 30 minutes and broke to go 1-0 up in the second.

But Petrova then won six games in a row to win the second set and broke twice in the third set to clinch victory.

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The world number seven took one hour and 48 minutes and four match points to earn her seventh career title.

"Lucie's level at the beginning was very high and there was nothing I could do about it," 24-year-old Petrova acknowledged.

"She played unbelievable tennis and I was struggling a bit on my second serve.

"As soon as I started hitting more balls in, she made more unforced errors"

"I changed a little bit the way I was playing because in the beginning I was building the points in the wrong way.

"I was playing the ball up the lines and giving her too many angles so I just went back to basics.

"As soon as I started hitting more balls in she made more unforced errors and that got me fully into the game."

Safarova, who is currently the world number 32, will equal her highest-ever ranking when she moves up to 26 on the back of her run in Paris.

"I beat players that I dreamed about beating so it would not be right to be sad because this has opened the way for the next tournaments," she said.

Her next tournament will have to wait, however, as the Czech player has pulled out of next week's Antwerp Open with a shoulder injury.
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