A sore shoulder hindered Kim Clijsters as she struggled to overcome hard-hitting Elena Bovina to reach the semi-finals of the WTA event in Warsaw on Friday.
The Belgian eventually won 7-6, 6-3 to earn a meeting with Russian second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, who defeated eighth seed Silvia Farina Elia 6-3, 6-4.
The second semi-final will be between unseeded pair Justine Henin-Hardenne and Ana Ivanovic. Henin-Hardenne swept aside fourth seed Patty Schnyder 6-1, 6-2, while 17-year old Ivanovic followed her win over third seed Vera Zvonareva with a 7-6, 6-4 victory over number six Nathalie Dechy.
Clijsters came through a fierce contest against the fifth-seeded Bovina to secure her 17th consecutive win.
In a fluctuating match, Clijsters failed to serve out the first set when leading 5-4 and 6-5, dropping her serve to love in the 12th game.
Even though she broke to lead the second set 1-0, she was broken in the following game and needed to hold off five break points before holding for 3-2.
The seventh seed broke for 4-2, conceded her serve again but struck a tremendous forehand winner down the line to lead 5-3, uttering a cry of "Come on" in imitation of her former boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt.
Even then, Clijsters needed to save two break points before clinching victory.
"I definitely didn't serve well," said Clijsters, who wore an ice pack on her right shoulder after the match. "My serve was too inconsistent today, and especially on the second serve she likes to step in and she put me under a lot of pressure on my serve."
Ivanovic showed composure backed up with an impressive forehand as she upset the inconsistent Dechy.
"The whole match was very close and we both had our chances in the first set," Ivanovic said. "After winning that set it was easier for me. I tried in the second set to move a little bit better so I could get more into the court, and I think that was the key today."
It took Kuznetsova a while to gain an advantage over Farina Elia but her greater power eventually told eventually as she sealed a comfortable straight-sets win.
Henin-Hardenne needed only 61 minutes to overcome Schnyder despite an opening game that stretched to 18 points as the Belgian's strength and accuracy in baseline rallies took their toll on the frustrated Swiss player.
