Classy Kim Clijsters clatters through

While the giggles are gone and the gymnast's genes less evident, that hooked, looped, whipped, thumped forehand stole the show at Wimbledon on Wednesday as Kim Clijsters, on her valedictory tour, barged into the third round.

It was fitting that it should be a shoulder-height crunched forehand which sealed her passage - the shot creating a sonic boom amplified by the closed roof on centre court.

Clijsters is bouncing in the basement of the world's top 50 these days, but come grand slams her quality is at the fore, and on a drizzly, overcast South-west London evening Andrea Hlavackova was relegated to bit-part actress as the Clijsters circus rolled on.


Her demeanour has been matured by marriage, motherhood and the passing years, and it was a muted joy which heralded her 6-3 6-3 victory - a clenched fist and a determined nod rather than a skip and giggle.

Roger Fedrer Enters Third Round

Roger Federer wasn't moving, he didn't have to. He was floating around Wimbledon's Centre Court much like a piece of paper on a windy day. And every now and then an elegant caress, spin or slice broke through the 68th-ranked Fabio Fognini's defence taking the stylish six-time champion to a 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 win in 74-minutes in a second round clash that was over even before it began.

Novak Djokovic overpowers Harrison to reach third round

Novak Djokovic eased into the Wimbledon third round with a routine 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over American Ryan Harrison under the closed roof of the Centre Court on Wednesday.


The top seed and defending champion from Serbia was not at his best but was still far too strong for the world number 48, breaking him in the ninth game of the third set to move to the brink of victory.

His only moment of concern came when trailing 0-40 at 2-3 in the second set but he survived the break points before regaining control of the match.

Great Britain women handed tennis wildcards

Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha have been given wildcards to represent Great Britain in singles at the Olympics while Laura Robson and Heather Watson will compete in the doubles.

Sania, Somdev get wild cards for London Olympics

Ending days of speculation, Sania Mirza was on Tuesday awarded a wild card entry along with Rushmi Chakravarthi for the women's doubles tennis event in the upcoming London Olympics. Somdev Devvarman, too, was given a wild card in men's singles, thereby making it the largest tennis contingent ever fielded by India in Olympics. It was learnt that the All India Tennis Association (AITA) has got a letter from ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti stating that they have awarded wild cards to Sania and Rushmi for women's doubles event and Somdev for men's singles.

With their participation confirmed, India will now have seven tennis players competing in London. Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna, Visnu
Vardhan were the other four selected by the AITA selection committee here last week.

Federer eyes record-tying 7th Wimbledon title

Third seed Roger Federer could not be more prepared going into Monday’s start at Wimbledon as the record-holding 16-time Grand Slam champion begins his campaign for a seventh career trophy at the grass court major.

Federer, who begins play in the first round against Spain’s Albert Ramos, is fully aware that his rivals have played the last four Grand Slam finals.

But Federer would like to end that monopoly sooner rather than later. “Hopefully it’s my time of the year now or someone else’s — if it’s someone else, I hope it’s me, of course,” said Federer.

“There are exciting times ahead; I fancy my chances here and at the US Open. I’m very close to breaking (the Djokovic-Nadal duopoly). Hopefully I can make a run here at Wimbledon and see how it goes.”

tenniscup

Roddick exits Queen's after 2nd round defeat

Seventh seeded Andy Roddick was ousted from the grass court tournament at Queen’s Club after losing in the second round to Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 on Wednesday.

The No. 43 ranked American has been struggling with ankle and hamstring injuries. He was defeated in the French Open first round earlier this month.

Roddick saved to break points in the second set before Roger-Vasselin took it with a backhand volley. The American regrouped in the third, pulling ahead twice, to 3-1 and 5-4, before Roger-Vasselin broke at 6-5 to take the match.

Fourth seeded Gilles Simon of France also lost on Wednesday to Simone Bolelli of Italy, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.
Sixth seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia advanced with an easy 6-2, 6-1 win over Matthew Ebden of Australia.