Australian Open 2012: Kim Clijsters Poised to Repeat in Melbourne

As we headed into the 2012 Australian Open, it appeared to be more of the same: a watered-down women's field complete with lingering injuries and no dominant player.

Even Kim Clijsters, who captured the Australian Open in 2011, was largely being counted out due to a left hip injury suffered in Brisbane.

But this is the Kim Clijsters who won the Australian Open in 2011.

It's only been two rounds of play, but Clijsters has been on fire lately, showing no ill signs of her hip injury. After disposing of Maria Joao Koehler in straight sets on Monday, Clijsters breezed past France's Stephanie Foretz Gacon on Wednesday, 6-0, 6-1. She won in just 47 minutes.

Last year, Clijsters disposed of then-No. 12 Agnieszka Radwanska, then-No. 2 Vera Zvonareva and then-No. 9 Li Na for the title. She showed the form that made her the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Then she got injured and tumbled down the rankings, starting 2012 No. 14 in the world.

But Clijsters has the ability to win in Melbourne again. It's still obviously early, but Clijsters is showing the form that resembles her victory last year and, more importantly, her injury hasn't flared up.

We all know Clijsters likes playing in Australia in front of her home crowd. She's also playing like she's ready to win right now. That can be a deadly combination, as Clijsters showed in 2011.

There's not a dominant player in women's tennis right now, and Melbourne is there for the taking for Clijsters. She's in a rhythm. And Daniela Hantuchova is her next opponent who will fall.