Clijsters double-faults out of match with Davenport

Jun 27, 2005, 23:35 GMT

London - Kim Clijsters slumped to three double-faults as she served to stay in a fourth-round match with Lindsay Davenport, losing 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 to the top seed Monday at the Wimbledon Championships.

Only moments after breaking back for 3-5 in the final set, the Belgian with four Grand Slam finals and not one title, suffered a serious case of nerves.

Clijsters, with only one double previously in the one-hour, 50- minute contest, hit her heartbreak hat-trick at the worst possible moment to crash out.

The victory was the second gift form the Belgian to her Californian counterpart after Davenport beat Clijsters after losing the opening set 1-6 at the same stage a month ago at the French Open.

Clijsters drops to 7-10 against the American, who next clashes with defending U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, the fifth seed who defeated Magdalena Maleeva 6-4, 6-3.

The loss was only the fifth this season for Clijsters, who has won three titles including the grass-court tune-up at Eastbourne this month.