Thaindian News

London, June 21 (DPA) Kim Clijsters returned to Wimbledon for the first time since 2006 and routed Italian Maria Elena Camerin 6-0, 6-3 in a winning return to Grand Slam grass Monday.

The eighth-seeded Belgian, who came back to tennis last summer after a hasty retirement and then won the US Open, was untroubled in victory to reach the second round.

Clijsters led other seeds on day one action. French number 11 Marion Bartoli produced a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of German Julia Goerges and Russian 12th seed Nadia Petrova accounted for another German as she put out Tatjana Malek 6-4, 6-3.

Two Swiss exited early as well as Chan Yung-Jan of Taiwan stopped veteran Patty Schnyder 6-0, 6-2 and Russian Maria Kirilenko staged a comeback to defeat Stefanie Voegele 2-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Britain’s first victim on the grass came in the form of Elena Baltacha, who couldn’t hold onto an early lead, going down to Croatian Petra Martic, 6-2, 5-7, 3-6.

Clijsters said that the foot injury she suffered two months ago and which kept her out until last week in Eastbourne was a frustration, coming as it did after her US Open Grand Slam success.

“It was frustrating that your mindset, way that you approach your season or your schedule just gets changed within a second,” said the Belgian.

“I didn’t even know if I was going to make it to Wimbledon. So I’m relieved I was able to play in Eastbourne. There were definitely times where I was like, ‘Oh, man, here we go again with these injuries,’ she said.

“It was frustrating. I was like, Was ‘this all worth it?’”

In early men’s play, Pole Michal Przysiezny defeated Ivan Ljubicic 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 and Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania eliminated Australian qualifier Carsten Ball 6-2, 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5).