Belgian duo makes Ordina semis

ROSMALEN, Netherlands (AP) -- Top-seeded Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne endured battles Thursday to reach the Ordina Open semifinals.

No. 1 Clijsters was stretched by Tina Pisnik, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), while No. 2 Henin-Hardenne rallied to beat Ludmila Cervanova 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

"I wasn't sharp in the first set which is why I lost it," Henin-Hardenne, the defending champion, told Dutch television. "I played more aggressively after that, which fortunately was the right tactic."

Joining the Belgian pair was No. 5 Nadia Petrova. All three featured in the French Open semifinals two weeks ago. This time, however, Petrova will meet Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion, and Clijsters will face Barbara Rittner, who hadn't won a WTA Tour match since March until this week.

Rittner, added to the draw after the late withdrawal of Paola Suarez, followed her upset of third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo by dispatching No. 6 Iroda Tulyaganova 6-2, 6-1.

Clijsters avenged a quarterfinal loss last year to Pisnik, but only after ending the Slovenian's charge from 5-2 down in the second set, and 4-2 behind in the tiebreaker.

Pisnik rallied to 4-4 with a drop-shot and overhead smash before Clijsters scrapped for two more points and Pisnik finally netted an easy volley.

Petrova won an all-Russian clash with last year's losing finalist, No. 4 Elena Dementieva, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

In men's play, top-seeded Jiri Novak won his second-round match 6-2, 6-4 against Olivier Mutis, who turned out to be the last professional opponent for Richard Krajicek, who followed Tuesday's defeat by retiring Thursday.

The 10th-ranked Novak, who hasn't made it to center court yet, faces an all-Czech quarterfinal with Jan Vacek, who upset fifth-seeded Sebastien Grosjean 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

Seventh-seeded Arnaud Clement overcame Dennis van Scheppingen 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-3, and Fernando Vicente downed Lars Burgsmuller 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

 

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