Kim Clijsters of Belgium kisses the trophy during the awarding ceremony for the women's singles final against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sept. 13, 2009. Clijsters won 2-0.(Xinhua File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    CANBERRA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Belgium's U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters showed no mercy against her childhood friend Alicia Molik at the Brisbane International tennis tournament on Tuesday, whipping the Australian 6-0 and 6-3 to cruise into the third round.

    Both players have come out of retirement, but 28-year-old Molik was trashed in just 60 minutes by the merciless Beilgian, who has been her friend since they were teenagers starting out on junior circuit, in their much-hyped second round clash.

    Former Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus kicked off his 2010 season with a 7-5, 7-5, first-round win over American Mardy Fish.

    Baghdatis will meet Czech Thomas Berdych in the second round after the fourth seed defeated Australia's Nick Lindahl 6-2, 6-4.

    American James Blake defeated his compatriot and No. 5 seed Sam Querrey 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, setting up a second-round clash with Frenchman Mark Gicquel, while Australian wildcard Carsten Ball defeated German Mischa Zverev 7-5 and 6-1 to set up a meeting with top seed Andy Roddick.