The Belgian Kim Clijsters, who is trying a second comeback at the highest level, was far from reaching it on Tuesday evening in New York.
She was beaten in the first round of the US Open by world 29th Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia in three sets of 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Clijsters, who was granted a pass, did not repeat the feat she achieved 11 years ago when she came to win at Flushing Meadows for her first comeback, after an 18-month hiatus caused by the birth of a child.
However, she started well by showing herself aggressive and solid in the game to remove the first set, before a much tighter second, where she cracked in the 12th game. She never knew how to revive herself then, letting Alexandrova fly away. .
The latter will face the American Catherine McNally in the second round.
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