Kim comes through

Second seed Kim Clijsters booked her place in the last 16 at Wimbledon – but was made to work hard for a 6-3 6-2 victory by Jie Zheng of China.

Playing on Court Two – the “graveyard of champions” – the 23-year-old at times looked sluggish as she failed to capitalise on several chances before eventually wearing down the world number 37.

It had, though, been a positive opening from the Belgian, placed second in the women’s rankings.

Clijsters forced an early break chance in the very first game with a superb cross-court forehand, which was claimed when Zheng sent her next return long.

The scoreline was soon 4-2 in favour of the Wimbledon second seed, who had reached the semi-finals at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros earlier this year.

However, Clijsters then squandered eight break points in the next game - hitting two into the net, three long and one wide – before finally dispatching a forehand to serve for the set.

The umpire later ruled a let at 40-30 following a close line call, and Clijsters was soon facing a break against her, which was lost following a long return.

But Zheng – playing with her left knee strapped – could not capitalise as the Belgian stepped up the power in game nine to secure the set – albeit with a somewhat fortunate net cord.

The disappointment of Clijsters’ resurgence seemed to get to Zheng at the start of the second set.

The Chinese girl, 22, complained to the umpire following a close call in game three, which went with serve to the number two seed.

The match official had to intervene again in game five, which Clijsters served out despite another disputed decision.

A forehand into the net from Zheng handed the number two seed a break point in the next game, which was promptly taken when her opponent fired a cross-court shot just wide.

Clijsters had to then save an immediate break-back chance against her, before moving to within touching distance of the fourth round with a power serve and winner from the baseline.

The Belgian then kept the pressure on to force two match points in the next game, which she gratefully accepted when Zheng’s attempted drop-shot fell short of the net to win 6-3 6-2 in 71 minutes.