Rusedski extends losing run to Clement

Greg Rusedski, the British No 2, lost to the Frenchman Arnaud Clement in the second round of the Masters Series here on Wednesday.

Rusedski had pulled off an unlikely victory in the first round when he came from a set and a break down to defeat the 12th seed, Jiri Novak, but was unable to repeat the heroics against Clement, losing 7-6, 5-7, 6-2.

Another slow start saw Rusedski drop his serve in the opening game, but he broke straight back and went on to force a tie-break. Clement had won the last four meetings between the pair, and dominated the tie-break to take the first set.

Yet a fifth straight win for Clement was by no means certain when Rusedski broke late in the second set and levelled the match. The first four games of the final set were shared, but Clement then raced away to book a third-round match against the American Mardy Fish, who defeated Xavier Malisse, of Belgium, 7-5, 6-7, 6-1.

In Toronto, the new women's world No 1, Kim Clijsters, barely broke sweat in humid conditions, sweeping past Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-2 in the second round of the Canadian Open.

Her Belgian compatriot, Justine Henin-Hardenne, the world No 3 chasing her sixth title of the year, brushed aside Marion Bartoli of France 6-3, 6-3. The defending champion, Amélie Mauresmo, overcame an early setback to defeat the Russian Elena Likhovtseva 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.