Clijsters scorches into second round

MELBOURNE, Jan 16 (Reuters) Fourth seed Kim Clijsters blazed her way to a 6-0 6-0 victory over Russian Vasilisa Bardina in the Australian Open first round today.

The Belgian world number five rushed through the first set in only 18 minutes and kept up her momentum to whitewash her bewildered 19-year-old opponent.

The 23-year-old Clijsters, playing her last Australian Open, reached the final in 2004.

REUTERS PM DS1250