7/23/2000
KIM TO PLAY SHAUGHNESSY
Kim's going to have a tough time getting to the final of the Bank of the West Tennis Classic in Stanford. She starts with an up and coming 1st round opponent named Meghann Shaughnessy of the USA. The two have never met, but this may prove to be a difficult match for Kim. Shaughnessy, ranked 52 in the world, has had pretty good wins this year. The 5'10 Virginia-born youngster reached the semi-finals of Auckland, and the quarterfinals of Bogotá. However, she hasn't had the kind of wins and upsets over the big players that Clijsters has had to propell her into the Top 40. Shaughnessy hasn't gotten past the 2nd round of a Grand Slam since turning pro in 1996. Nor has she upset a seeded player in a Grand Slam. Another big difference between the two is Shaughnessy doesn't have any titles. It's pretty safe to say that Clijsters will make it into the 2nd round of this event. But that's where the trouble really begins. If she does infact make it to the second round, then she will have to face former teen queen and fourth seed Monica Seles. Again, the two have never met, but this won't be an easy second round match. Seles, a 6-time Grand Slam champion, is a tricky lefty who could cause lots of problems for the young Belgian. If Clijsters does pull through, it will be her biggest win to date! From there, she would meet a slew of top players that she has beaten before, including 6th and 8th seeds Amanda Coetzer and Chanda Rubin, whom she disposed of in the final of Anz Tasmania International. Standing as a threat in a possible semi-final match is second seed and ranked Lindsay Davenport. Once again, the two have never met, but if they do, let's hope that Clijsters can use her knowledge on the hard court for this match. Should Clijsters get to the final, we would see her play possibly Anna Kournikova, Mary Pierce, Sandrine Testud, or Venus Williams. Good luck Kim!
~Clijsters City
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