Kim Clijsters falls to Arantxa Rus after doubts creep in on clay

KIM Clijsters blamed a loss of confidence for her shock second-round defeat by Arantxa Rus at the French Open, while Maria Sharapova admitted she was lucky to avoid joining the Belgian in making an early exit.

Second seed Clijsters, who was going for a third-consecutive grand slam title, looked in control at a set and 5-2 up but she missed two match points and from there it was all downhill as Rus won 11 of the last 12 games to triumph 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Asked to explain her dramatic slump, Clijsters said: "I'm still trying to figure that out. I felt kind of in control. I felt like she was missing quite a lot at the beginning of the rallies, and I felt that I was moving her around well from side to side. Then I started doubting a little bit. I think, on clay, that is something that, for me, is definitely the wrong attitude to have."

Sharapova looked in severe danger when she trailed 17-year-old Caroline Garcia by a set and 4-1, but the Russian is renowned for her fighting qualities and she did not lose another game in a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory.

The French crowd were going wild at the exploits of world number 188 Garcia, who was playing so well that Andy Murray and Martina Navratilova both declared she would one day be world number one.

Sharapova said: "It could have easily gone the other way today but I think I knew I had to make an adjustment. I just never think that the match is over until it actually is."

In the men's draw, five-time champion Rafael Nadal was again unconvincing as he reached the third round with a straight-sets victory over fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar.

Nadal recovered from two sets to one down to beat John Isner in round one, and he was similarly lacklustre in his 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win, having to save eight set points in the final set.

Sweden's Robin Soderling overcame Albert Ramos 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.