TWO-TIME FRENCH OPEN Champion Kim Clijsters has been sent packing by world number 114 Arantxa Rus after squandering two match points at Roland Garros this morning.

The Belgian, who was the tournament’s second seed, made a massive 65 unforced errors which allowed the relatively-unknown Dutch youngster to pull off a remarkable 3-6 7-5 6-1 comeback.

Clijsters’ defeat means that it is the first time since defeat at Wimbledon in 2002 that the former world number one has failed to reach the third round of a Grand Slam which she has entered.

A break in Rus’ first service game of the match allowed Clijsters to comfortably take the first set 6-3 and, after an early break in the second saw the 27-year-old move 3-0 up, it seemed that her progress was assured.

Even after Rus, 20, managed to bring the set back on serve with a break in the fifth game, Clijsters responded gamely to move 5-2 in front before passing up match points in consecutive games.

Having allowed her opponent back into the set at 5-5, Clijsters then double-faulted to hand Rus a crucial break which she capitalised on to level the match.

With the 2001 and 2003 champion on the ropes, the youngster proceeded to break Clijsters’ serve early in the deciding set before easing out to a stunning 3-6 7-5 6-1.

Rus can now look forward to a third-round tie against either 25th-seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia or South African Chanelle Scheepers.

Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Robin Soderling and Maria Sharapova are among those also in action at the Parisian court today.