ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-7 (10), 6-2, 6-1 to give Belgium an insurmountable 3-0 lead over the United States and a place in the Fed Cup semifinals.
Mattek-Sands gave the U.S. its first set of the weekend when she outlasted Clijsters in the tiebreaker, but the second-ranked Belgian dominated the No. 48 in the next two sets.
It is the first time the Americans have lost two straight Fed Cup ties. They lost to Italy in last year’s final.
Yanina Wickmayer was due to play Melanie Oudin in the second reverse singles later Sunday.
