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Clijsters, Henin-Hardenne cruise again
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Associated Press
CHARLEROI, Belgium -- Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne scored easy victories Sunday to lead Belgium to the Fed Cup semifinals with a 5-0 rout of defending champion Slovakia.
Belgium will play the winner of the U.S.-Italy quarterfinal. The Americans led 2-0 entering Sunday.
"We're getting better so we're definitely looking forward to it,'' Clijsters said.
The second-ranked Clijsters, with boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt watching from the sidelines, defeated Janette Husarova 6-0, 6-1 in less than an hour.
Henin-Hardenne, the French Open winner who is ranked third, downed Lubomira Kurhajcova 6-2, 6-1.
"The score wasn't close so I was able to relax a bit,'' Henin-Hardenne said.
In doubles, Els Callens and Caroline Maes struggled past Kurhajcova and Jarmila Gajdosova, 6-4, 7-5.
Russia advances to semifinals
PORTOROZ, Slovenia -- Russia captured its Fed Cup quarterfinal Sunday, routing Slovenia 5-0 behind a clinching victory from Elena Bovina.
The Russians advanced to the semifinals against France, which beat Spain earlier in the day.
Bovina defeated Katarina Srebotnik 7-6 (4), 6-2 to put Russia up 3-0 in the best-of-five series.
Vera Zvonareva downed Maja Matevzic 6-1, 6-2, and the doubles team of Elena Dementieva and Anastasia Myskina topped Srebotnik and Tina Krizan 6-2, 6-3.
Bovina, ranked 21st, took the first set in a struggle. Srebotnik, ranked 35th, appeared to lose her strength in the second set and did not win any of her service games.
France finishes Spain
OVIEDO, Spain -- Amelie Mauresmo beat Magui Serna of Spain 7-5, 6-2 Sunday to lead France into the Fed Cup semifinals.
The French entered the day with a 2-0 lead and won the quarterfinal 4-1. In the next round they face Russia, which eliminated Slovenia.
In the second singles, France's Stephanie Cohen-Aloro downed Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo 6-3, 6-4. Cohen-Aloro was a replacement for Nathalie Dechy.
In doubles, the Spanish team of Anabel Medina and Virginia Ruano defeated Dechy and Emilie Loit 6-4, 6-4.
Spain, a five-time Fed Cup champion, reached the finals last year but lost to Slovakia.
Spain was playing without either of its Fed Cup veterans, Conchita Martinez and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario. Martinez is sitting out these matches and Sanchez-Vicario retired in November.
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Associated Press
CHARLEROI, Belgium -- Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne scored easy victories Sunday to lead Belgium to the Fed Cup semifinals with a 5-0 rout of defending champion Slovakia.
Belgium will play the winner of the U.S.-Italy quarterfinal. The Americans led 2-0 entering Sunday.
"We're getting better so we're definitely looking forward to it,'' Clijsters said.
The second-ranked Clijsters, with boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt watching from the sidelines, defeated Janette Husarova 6-0, 6-1 in less than an hour.
Henin-Hardenne, the French Open winner who is ranked third, downed Lubomira Kurhajcova 6-2, 6-1.
"The score wasn't close so I was able to relax a bit,'' Henin-Hardenne said.
In doubles, Els Callens and Caroline Maes struggled past Kurhajcova and Jarmila Gajdosova, 6-4, 7-5.
Russia advances to semifinals
PORTOROZ, Slovenia -- Russia captured its Fed Cup quarterfinal Sunday, routing Slovenia 5-0 behind a clinching victory from Elena Bovina.
The Russians advanced to the semifinals against France, which beat Spain earlier in the day.
Bovina defeated Katarina Srebotnik 7-6 (4), 6-2 to put Russia up 3-0 in the best-of-five series.
Vera Zvonareva downed Maja Matevzic 6-1, 6-2, and the doubles team of Elena Dementieva and Anastasia Myskina topped Srebotnik and Tina Krizan 6-2, 6-3.
Bovina, ranked 21st, took the first set in a struggle. Srebotnik, ranked 35th, appeared to lose her strength in the second set and did not win any of her service games.
France finishes Spain
OVIEDO, Spain -- Amelie Mauresmo beat Magui Serna of Spain 7-5, 6-2 Sunday to lead France into the Fed Cup semifinals.
The French entered the day with a 2-0 lead and won the quarterfinal 4-1. In the next round they face Russia, which eliminated Slovenia.
In the second singles, France's Stephanie Cohen-Aloro downed Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo 6-3, 6-4. Cohen-Aloro was a replacement for Nathalie Dechy.
In doubles, the Spanish team of Anabel Medina and Virginia Ruano defeated Dechy and Emilie Loit 6-4, 6-4.
Spain, a five-time Fed Cup champion, reached the finals last year but lost to Slovakia.
Spain was playing without either of its Fed Cup veterans, Conchita Martinez and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario. Martinez is sitting out these matches and Sanchez-Vicario retired in November.
