Kim Clijsters continued a storming pre-Wimbledon build-up Friday as she handed holder Svetlana Kuznetsova a first career defeat at the 585,000-dollar Eastbourne Championships to reach the final 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Seventh seeded Clijsters showed the determination which took her to back-to-back Masters hardcourt titles in the US in March as she cemented a comeback to the game after nearly a year of wrist injury drama.
Clijsters will play Saturday for her third trophy of 2005 against the winner from a pair of qualifiers at Devonshire Park.
Either Italian Roberta Vinci, who upset former French Open winner Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) to complete a rain-interrupted quarter-final, or Russian Vera Douchevina will play for the trophy.
Clijsters overcame a patchy performance as sun finally came out on the lawns following rain and wind earlier in the week.
The Belgian, who played a Wimbledon semi-final two years ago, has polished her form with each match at this south coast resort.
She improved her record this season to 28-4 with a fourth victory on grass.
The pair of good friends have played five times, with Clijsters now a winner in four of those.
Her victory in one hour, 43 minutes earned revenge for a loss to US Open winner Kuznetsova in the semi-finals on clay in Warsaw in April.
After Kuznetsova levelled the sets at one apiece, Clijsters took a break in the first game, enough of a margin to see her through.
But the 22-year-old Belgian had to work to close out victory, rallying from 0-40 and missing on her first match point through a bad bounce on the grass.
But Clijsters insured her trip to the title match in her Eastbourne debut on her second winning chance with a crisp chip volley winner at the net.
Kuznetsova dropped to 6-1 at the tournament after beating Daniela Hantuchova for the trophy a year ago.
RESULTS (x denotes seed):
(QUARTER-FINALS): Roberta Vinci (ITA) bt Anastasia Myskina (RUS x4) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).
(SEMI-FINALS): Kim Clijsters (BEL x7) bt Svetlana Kusnetsova (RUS x2) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
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