BERLIN - Former world tennis No 1 Kim Clijsters retired from the German Open today after injuring her right leg in an awkward slide to the net during a third-round match against Switzerland's Patty Schnyder.
Later at the Steffi Graf stadium top seed Maria Sharapova, 18, who will become world
No 1 if she wins in Berlin, swept aside China's Shuai Peng 6-2 6-1.
Clijsters failed to convert four match points before surrendering her match while leading 7-6 5-6.
"(My leg) is inflamed now which is causing a lot of pressure around the muscles and the joints," said a pale-looking Clijsters, who was limping and appeared in pain.
The Belgian, who missed most of last season with a career-threatening wrist injury, said she was not sure exactly how the injury occurred but suspected it was the slide late in the second set, after which she had a sharp pain in her knee.
Clijsters added that she would have to wait several days for a scan to see whether she had damaged any ligaments.
"Hopefully, if it shows that I haven't torn anything, I will be back for the French Open ... but if it does, well I don't even want to think about that," she said.
Sharapova, currently the world No 2, next faces Belgium's other former world No 1, Justine Henin-Hardenne, in the quarterfinals after Henin-Hardenne struggled to beat Kveta Peschke, of the Czech Republic, 4-6 6-4 6-2.
Sharapova, who had a bye into the second round and has lost just seven games in the tournament so far, looked composed and confident on the court.
"I haven't won anything since last year. But I feel relaxed and good. I haven't had a challenge yet and I think my next match is going to be tougher," the Russian said.
Second seed and defending champion Amelie Mauresmo made a shaky start against her French compatriot Virginie Razzano, losing her first two service games, but after trailing 4-1 she found her form to win the next 10 games in succession.
Razzano broke again as Mauresmo served for the match, only for the defending champion to break back and win 6-4 6-2.
Swiss Schnyder next plays fourth seed and US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who was put through her paces by Spain's Conchita Martinez, who is 14 years her senior. The Russian teenager won the tight baseline conquest 5-7 6-4 6-4.
Former French Open winner Mary Pierce lost 6-2 7-5 to sixth seed Nadia Petrova and a third Russian also made progress when eighth seed Elena Bovina beat American Meghann Shaughnessy 6-4 6-2.
German Julia Schruff, who yesterday eliminated third seed Anna Myskina, of Russia, lost to 13th seed Jelena Jankovic, of Serbia and Montenegro, 6-3 6-2.
- REUTERS
BERLIN - Former world tennis No 1 Kim Clijsters retired from the German Open today after injuring her right leg in an awkward slide to the net during a third-round match against Switzerland's Patty Schnyder.
Later at the Steffi Graf stadium top seed Maria Sharapova, 18, who will become world
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