Clijsters advances in Paris

PARIS, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Kim Clijsters claimed a three-set victory Wednesday at the GDF Suez tournament in Paris and moved one victory from a world No. 1 ranking.

Clijsters entered the tournament, receiving a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed, needing to advance to the semifinals to displace Caroline Wozniacki as the world's No. 1-ranked women's tennis player. She took the first step toward that Wednesday with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 win over Kristina Barrois.

Barrois won the first set and was even at 2-2 in the second but Clijsters reeled off the next 10 games. She allowed Barrois just three points on serve in the third set.

Her quarterfinal opponent Friday will be either Jelena Dokic or fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova. They are to play their second-round match Thursday.

Petrova didn't face a break point en route to a 6-1, 6-3 first-round win Wednesday over Virginie Razzano.

In the other second-round match Wednesday, No. 8-seeded Dominika Cibulkova got past Melanie Oudin 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

No. 6-seeded Andrea Petkovic took out Angelique Kerber 7-5, 3-6, 6-2; seventh-seeded Yanina Wickmayer beat Elena Vesnina 7-6 (7-1), 6-2; and Sofia Arvidsson advanced over Alize Cornet 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) in the final first-round matches.