TENNIS in DEPTH.

Kim Clijsters left with a heavily bandaged left leg following a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 quarter-final loss to Vera Zvonareva.

After dominating the opening set, Clijsters felt her hip tighten in the second. She took a medical break to have her upper left leg taped before the third set, but her movement was clearly restricted as Zvonareva advanced to the semifinals with an easy win.

Some wondered why Clijsters didn’t retire from the match and go for full treatment, but the former world No. 1 from Belgium said that was out of the question.

“I don’t like to give up,” she said. “(Maybe) if something really bad happens, if you twist your ankle, but I was still able to move, still able to hit the ball, so I don’t believe in giving up.”

Clijsters was quick to assert that the injury will not prevent her from defending her U.S. Open title in New York beginning Aug. 31, but said she will need a more clear diagnosis and some therapy to get it under control. She hopes to be back hitting balls in practice by Wednesday.

“It’s the hip,” she said. “I was trying to get an MRI this weekend but the hospitals here are full, so I’m going to get it done at the beginning of the next week in New Jersey.

“I saw the doctor and he did the test but I need an MRI or a scan.”

The US$2-million tournament was already thin on star power with the absence of world No. 1 Serena Williams and Justine Henin due to long-term injuries, and with Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams pulling out at the last minute.

Then top-seeded Jelena Jankovic, also nursing a minor injury, lost her first match.

Organizers say ticket sales are down only slightly from previous years, but there are some empty seats and scalpers outside the stadium are asking half price for good seats.

Zvonareva will be joined in the semifinals on Saturday by fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, a 6-1, 6-3 winner over unseeded Zheng Jie of China.

Second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark downed French Open champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-3, 6-2.

Wozniacki will face Kuznetsova in the semifinals. They have played one another four times and each won twice, with Wozniacki taking their most recent encounter at last year’s U.S. Open.

Zvonareva will be up against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who defeated Marion Bartoli 6-2, 7-6 late Friday night.

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