Clijsters reaches last eight in 10 minutes

EASTBOURNE, England, June 21 (Reuters) Kim Clijsters's first match in the defence of her Eastbourne title lasted just 10 minutes today before Vera Zvonareva retired injured.

World number two Clijsters looked confident on the Devonshire Park centre court, racing to a 3-0 lead in the second-round match, after having a first-round bye.

Russian Zvonareva, who won the Birmingham grasscourt event on Sunday, slipped over at the end of the second game and lasted one more before calling on the trainer who examined her right foot for several minutes.

''She said she had hurt her toes in Birmingham last week and I think they were a little bit sore,'' Clijsters told reporters.

''They were strapped up.'' The Belgian hopes to improve on last year's fourth-round finish at the Wimbledon championships which start next Monday and was disappointed not to get a full match.

''It was a great feeling that I had out there, it is just a shame that it couldn't last a little bit longer,'' said Clijsters, 23.

''I was hitting the ball well and I was really enjoying it out there.'' Clijsters, a semi-finalist at the French and Australian Opens this year, will play either sixth seed Francesca Schiavone of Italy or Japan's Akiko Morigami in the quarter-finals.

Top seed Amelie Mauresmo of France and French Open winner Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium join the action in this seaside resort later today.

REUTERS DH PM1741