Kim through in Paris in 39 Minutes: Next up Farina-Elia

By Naomi C

            Kim Clijsters began her first Open Gaz De France campaign convincingly on Thursday as two of the other top 4 seeds crumbled.  Kim dominated her Spanish opponent Maria Sanchez Lorenzo from the outset allowing the Spaniard only 16 points in the entire match. Afterwards Kim announced her foot felt fine and she did not feel any pain throughout the match at all!

In the quarter finals Kim will face Italian veteran Silvia Farina-Elia for the second time within a month. The pair last met in round 4 of the Australian Open which Kim won 6-3 6-3 to take her head to head with Farina to 4-0.

Farina-Elia is in good from though and one cannot afford to take this match for granted. Farina demolished Slovenian Tina Pisnik in the last round 6-0 6-4 and is currently ranked just inside the top 20 and number 19. In the past Kim and Silvia have played indoors just once and that match went the full distance to three sets. Kim was successful 6-1 2-6 6-4 in Leipzig on an indoor carpet surface in the quarter finals. In fact their last meeting in Paris was the first the Kim was able to win in just 2 sets.

Farina-Elia employed many slice shots in Melbourne and was keen to play the angles and take Kim out of court. It seemed Kim was surprised at the amount of slice coming from Farina in Melbourne and also how keen the Italian was to attack the net. Kim will be ready for that this time and well aware of the Italian’s tactics. Kim will have to serve well and return well and also attempt to keep the rallies short as once the rallies continue they tip into the favour of the Italian.

Kim admits she is enjoying being in Paris in the wintertime for the first time so hopefully she can prolong her stay a little longer!!