Battling Clijsters wins her pain game

Kim Clijsters broke the pain barrier to beat Russian Anastasia Myskina 6-2, 7-6 in Melbourne today but may be forced to pull out of her Australian Open semi-final.

The second seed took a medical time-out in the second set for treatment on her troublesome left ankle, fought off five set points and needed six match points to get past Myskina in a gritty quarterfinal victory.

"I started off feeling really good but had a little stumble and jammed my foot again," said Clijsters, who is chasing her first Grand Slam title.

"The ankle flared up a little bit. I'll have to see how it reacts and, ice it as much as I can and maybe take a few painkillers. It's pretty painful."

Clijsters said she would wait for an all-clear from her doctor before deciding whether to play Switzerland's Patty Schnyder on Friday but added it would take a lot to rule her out.

The 20-year-old Belgian stormed through the first set, racing to a 5-0 lead before clinching it on her third set-point with a ferocious backhand. But Myskina hit back in the second and secured a double service break for 3-0 with a delightful angled volley. Moments later it was 4-0 with Myskina threatening to run away with the set.

Clijsters then slipped awkwardly while holding serve in the fifth game and had treatment on her ankle, which she injured during the Hopman Cup earlier this month.

"It's the same thing for the last three weeks," she said. "It stops me from jumping up and landing on my serve afterwards and pushing back towards the back of the court."

But after having her foot restrapped, she immediately broke Myskina, who then self-destructed when she held three set points at 5-3 on Clijsters' serve.

Cheered on by Australian fiance Lleyton Hewitt, 'Aussie Kim' won three straight games, only to squander two match points at 6-5.

An over-rule in the second-set tie-break presented Clijsters with two more match points, much to the annoyance of the volatile Myskina, who banged the umpire's chair with her racket in frustration. But a tentative Clijsterswasted both, as well as a fifth match point, before forcing Myskina into a wild forehand to clinch the tie-break 11-9.

Clijsters will play 22nd seed Schnyder after the Swiss left-hander beat American doubles specialist Lisa Raymond 7-6, 6-3.

Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero came through a stern test to beat Hicham Arazi 6-1, 7-6, 7-6 to reach the men's semi-finals for the first time. After a straightforward first set, the French Open champion was pressed by the unseeded Moroccan but showed the sort of hardcourt form that took him to last year's US Open final.

"I played really good when I started the match but I knew Arazi always plays good rallies," said Ferrero. It was pretty tough."

The third seed will meet either Wimbledon champion Roger Federer or Argentine David Nalbandian, who play later today.