Clijsters still on track for top spot

Kim Clijsters moved a step closer to becoming world number one after beating Francesca Schiavone in the semi-finals of the JP Morgan Chase Open in Los Angeles.

Clijsters won 7-5 6-4 against the 16th-seeded Italian and will meet second seed Lindsay Davenport in the final after the American crushed Ai Sugiyama 6-2 6-1 in the other semi-final.

Clijsters, the top seed, needs to win the tournament to take over the top spot from Serena Williams, who is currently out injured.

Williams has reigned for 57 consecutive weeks.

“I’ve had a great year so far and I’ve made it to another final,” Clijsters said. “I know I have to play really good tomorrow, to get there, and to have that nice feeling after the match.

“If I focus on that first, then the second part will come, and I can celebrate after the match.”

Clijsters would become the 12th player to hold the top spot since the rankings began in 1975 – and the first to do it without a Grand Slam title.

However, Davenport hopes to delay the inevitable and capture her fourth crown in seven final appearances at the hardcourt event leading up to the US Open.

She has split 12 career meetings with Clijsters but has dropped five of the last six, all on hard courts.

That run includes a 6-3 6-3 semi-final loss at the Acura Classic in San Diego last week.

“She’s been playing very well,” Davenport admitted. “She’s a tough aggressive opponent who plays defence very well.

“I’m going to have to try and get on top of her early because she has the ability to move the ball around quite a bit, and put me on the run a lot.

“I certainly don’t want to get into long rallies with her.”