French Open, Day Five

Clijsters dumped out by Rus after stunning fightback

ESPN staff

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Kim Clijsters hit 65 unforced errors in her defeat to Arantxa Rus © PA Photos

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The French Open draw was thrown wide open after No. 2 seed Kim Clijsters was sent crashing out at the hands of Dutch youngster Arantxa Rus.

The Australian Open champion squandered two match points and hit 65 unforced errors as she slumped to a 3-6 7-5 6-1 defeat to the world No. 114.

Clijsters has not played since injuring her ankle in April, and was less-than-convincing in her first-round win over Anastasiya Yakimova. However, she looked to have rediscovered her form when she got off to a blistering start on Court Philippe Chatrier, racing to a 3-0 lead.

Rus began to settle and broke back, but despite an alarmingly high error-rate from Clijsters the Belgian clinched the opening set with relative ease. Leading 5-2 in the second set, Clijsters looked firmly on course for victory, but squandered two match points as the high error count began to take its toll.

A double fault made it 6-5 to hand Rus the chance to serve for the set, and her 44th unforced error of the match gifted the 20-year-old the set as she sent the ball crashing wide.

It all began to fall apart, as Rus saved three break points early in the decider before racing through the third set to claim the biggest victory of her career.

Maria Sharapova showed all her famed battling qualities to claim a 3-6 6-4 6-0 win over French teenager Caroline Garcia.

For a set and a half Sharapova was overwhelmed,with Garcia hitting with power and authority on both wings.

She forced her Russian opponent further and further behind the baseline and was a set and 4-1 to the good. But with the winning line in sight she faltered and Sharapova required no second invitation as he raced through the final set after levelling the match.

Fourth seed Victoria Azarenka destroyed Pauline Parmentier 6-0 6-1, while sixth seed Li Na advanced with a 6-4 7-5 victory over Silvia Soler-Espinosa.

Agnieszka Radwanska, seeded 12th, triumphed over Sania Mirza and 15th seed Andrea Petkovic overcame a tough first set before easing to a 7-6(2) 6-2 win over Lucie Hradecka.