Kim Clijsters, a three-time U.S. Open champion, ended her career on a sorrowful note on Wednesday, as the 23rd seed was eliminated by 18-year-old Brit Laura Robson in straight sets, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), in the second round of the 2012 U.S. Open. The unseeded Robson moves onto the third round of the single-elimination tournament to face No. 9 Li Na, who defeated Casey Dellacqua, 6-4, 6-4.
The loss was Clijsters first in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., since the 2003 final. Clijsters won the 2005 U.S. Open title, then won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 after ending her first retirement. She did not participate in last year's tournament due to a stomach injury. Before this year's open, Clijsters said it would be her last.
Other women's matches that have gone final on Wednesday include:
- No. 1 Victoria Azarenka def. Kirsten Flipkens, 6-2, 6-2
- No. 5 Petra Kvitova def. Alize Cornet, 6-4, 6-3
- No. 15 Lucie Safarova def. Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-5, 4-6, 6-2
- Kristina Mladenovic def. No. 17 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-1, 6-2
- No. 19 Nadia Petrova def. Simona Halep, 6-1, 6-1
- Pauline Parmentier def. No. 25 Yanina Wickmayer, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
- No. 28 Jie Zheng def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-3, 6-1
- No. 31 Varvara Lepchenko def. Anastasia Rodionova, 6-2, 6-2
- Mallory Burdette def. Lucie Hradecka, 6-2, 6-4
- Anna Tatishvili def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-2
- Mandy Minella def. Kristyna Pliskova, 6-4, 6-4
Currently in progress: No. 3 Maria Sharapova is facing Lourdes Dominguez Lino.
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