Alisa Kleybanova, during her win over Kim Clijsters. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

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Alisa Kleybanova delivered what is, in my mind, the most impressive performance of the year so far Monday night, upsetting US Open champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

The match appeared completely out of Kleybanova's reach several times.  Clijsters sailed through the second set with considerable ease, and raced out to a 3-0 lead in the final set, making her stranglehold look fairly routine.  But Kleybanova dug in and fought, as she does like few others, fighting for every point and leveling the match at 3-3. 

Six tight holds later, the match headed into a deciding third set tiebreak.  Clijsters raced out to a 4-0 lead in the tiebreak, with the match again looking to be completely locked up.  But Kleybanova again rallied, winning an incredible seven consecutive points to stun Clijsters and seal the shocking win in 2 hours and 36 minutes (which is a little on the short side for a Kleybanova match).

The way Kleybanova shook off her second set drubbing to comeback twice against a player who is frankly her superior in most every category is incredibly impressive, and shows a self-belief and willpower that is scarce in her generation.  Clijsters didn't choke the match away at all, but was simply bested by an opponent who raised her game to its highest level when it mattered most.

Kleybanova's matches are always longer than your average epic film not because of the stall tactics that slow down so many modern WTA matches, but because she plays longer rallies than any other aggressive player I've ever seen.  Her relatively lumpy build makes her speed deceptive, and opponents are clearly bewildered as ball after ball comes back with interest on point after point, from the farthest flung corners of the court.  Kleybanova also has a pretty respectable amount of variety to keep her opponents off balance, mixing deep flat shots with short scoops effectively.

Clijsters is by no means Kleybanova's first big scalp.  She has previous wins over Ana Ivanovic (when she was better), Elena Dementieva (whom she beat for her first title last week in Kuala Lumpur) and has pushed Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova to the brink at big tournaments (the Australian Open and Toronto, respectively).  Kleybanova is on the verge of the top twenty, and has a very decent shot at the top ten in the next couple years.

So good on ya, Alisa.  You're the scrappiest player in the WTA today, you rarely fail to impress, you work so hard that you literally have to wring the sweat out of your ponytail, and you sort of resemble John Isner.  What's not to love?

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Clijsters' exit only added to the decimation of the women's field at this event.  Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, third-seed Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova, and Justine Henin were all ousted well before their expected departure dates, leaving the draw totally wide open.  Fourth-seed Elena Dementieva should have this one in the bag, but defending champion Vera Zvonareva and fast-rising Yanina Wickmayer could prove to make things interesting.