Kim Clijsters’ nagging shoulder injury has forced her to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open as she conceded to France’s Marion Bartoli 3-6 3-1.
After winning the fourth-round match’s opening set on the hardcourt surface, Clijsters called for her trainer at 1-2 before conceding one game later.
Clijsters’ exit at Indian Wells ended any hopes the Belgian had of regaining the world number one ranking.
She had needed to do better in the event than Dane Caroline Wozniacki.
Clijsters has been taking the painkiller Advil to cope with the injury since before she won her fourth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.
“With those higher shots against the opponent today, I just feel it pinching a little bit more when I have to do that kick serve and when I have to reach that right arm up higher with the forehand,” said two-time Indian Wells winner Clijsters.
In the quarter-finals 15th seed Bartoli will face 19th-seeded Ana Ivanovic, who beat fellow Serb Jelena Jankovic – the defending champion – 6-4 6-2 earlier on Tuesday.
Sixth-seed Jankovic, who beat Wozniacki in last year’s final, converted only one of seven break-point opportunities as she was defeated by Ivanovic for the first time in three meetings.
“I felt like my game was not really there. I wasn’t really doing the right things out there,” Jankovic said.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic advanced through to the fourth round with a 6-0 6-1 win over Ernests Gulbis.
The third seed broke Gulbis three times in the opening set and twice in the second to maintain his unbeaten run so far this season.
“I am just trying to play as best as I can, I couldn’t have asked for a better start to this year,” said Djokovic.
“The last three months have been unbelievable.”
In the next round Djokovic, the Australian Open champion, will meet either number 16 seed and fellow Serb Viktor Troicki or the 24th-seeded Frenchman Michael Llodra.
Seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych crushed 26th-seeded Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-3 6-2 to join Djokovic in the fourth round.
