Belgian eighth seed Kim Clijsters stormed into the third round at Wimbledon with an impressive 6-3, 6-2 victory over Karolina Sprem on Wednesday.
Clijsters is playing at the All England Club for the first time in four years after a spell in retirement and she looks capable of emulating her semi-final appearance on that last visit in 2006.
The 27-year-old is a mother these days but she has lost none of her famed competitive streak, as she showed by winning the 2009 US Open as a wildcard in just her third event back on the women's tour.
Sprem, ranked 104th in the world, was no match for Clijsters and the former world number one was able to cruise through to a meeting with either Maria Kirilenko, the Russian 27th seed, or America's Shenay Perry.
Clijsters had won all four previous clashes with Sprem in straight sets, losing just 14 games in the process, and it took her just one hour and 13 minutes to finish off the Croatian.
Clijsters, who could face compatriot Justine Henin in the fourth round, insisted the match had been harder than it seemed, but she was happy to admit she is starting to dream about winning Wimbledon for the first time.
"The score was a lot easier than it was to play. I had to work extremely hard but I was consistent and that was the most important thing," she said.
{{/usCountry}}"The score was a lot easier than it was to play. I had to work extremely hard but I was consistent and that was the most important thing," she said.
{{/usCountry}}"To win Wimbledon would be a dream come true. It was tempting last year when they offered me a wild card but I just wasn't quite ready."