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Quick exit Kournikova loses opener at Porsche Grand Prix
FILDERSTADT, Germany (AP) -- Belgium's Kim Clijsters won a battle of teen-agers Tuesday when the up-and-coming 17-year-old rolled past Russia's Anna Kournikova in two sets at the Porsche Grand Prix. Clijsters displayed some of the power, along with quickness, that made her women's tennis 1999 newcomer-of-the-year in knocking off the sixth-seeded Kournikova, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the second round. Jennifer Capriati also was ousted by fellow American Chanda Rubin, 6-0, 6-7 (11-13), 6-2 at the $535,000 event, just two days after the former teen-age prodigy captured her first title this year at Luxembourg. Clijsters, keeping Kournikova off-balance by driving the ball all over the court, took control of a hard-fought match at 5-3 in the second set with a break. Luring the 18-year-old Russian to the net with a drop shot, she blasted a passing shot down the line to capture the game after trailing 0-40. "That was a very big point. I like to fight hard over the big points and I win a lot of them in long rallies. It's good to show opponents that you'll fight for them," said Clijsters. Clijsters next faces Germany's Jana Kandarr, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Russia's Tatiana Panova. In other matches, Germany's Barbara Rittner ousted Russia's Elena Likhovtseva, 6-2, 7-5 and Belgium's Justine Henin beat Spain's Gala Leon-Garcia, 6-4, 6-2. Rubin swept the first set in just 17 minutes, smashing winners all over the court. Capriati responded by fighting off three match points to claim the second. But Capriati, enjoying her best season in many years, couldn't overcome her erratic serve and lost in just over two hours. "I felt like I played a super first set, but then she started playing better. She's a hard fighter," said Rubin. Clijsters, the daughter of a well-known Belgium soccer player, has risen from 409th to 29th in the world in less than two years and already claimed two titles. She gained revenge for losing a three-set battle against the Russian last week at Luxembourg, closing out the match in 75 minutes. "I'd already beaten her in the Fed Cup, so I knew I could beat her. That's why I absolutely wanted to win today," said Clijsters.
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