(CNN) -- Kim Clijsters is looking forward to taking a break after her title reign at the Miami Masters ended at the quarterfinal stage.
The 27-year-old, also the 2005 winner in Florida, could not repeat her heroic effort against Ana Ivanovic as she was beaten 6-3 6-3 by eighth seed Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday.
The Belgian had saved five match-points before overcoming Ivanovic in the previous round, but admitted she was drained after stepping back on court less than 24 hours later.
"I just didn't feel good out there. Just mentally, physically, it didn't feel right," the Australian Open champion told the WTA Tour website. "Physically it was tough the last few days, but I train hard enough to be capable of doing that.
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"Mentally I just didn't have any fighting spirit. It's tough against someone like Victoria -- against some lower-ranked players it's possible to get through matches, but not her.
Mentally I just didn't have any fighting spirit ... I'm just looking forward to a break right now
--Kim Clijsters
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Kim Clijsters
Vera Zvonareva
Novak Djokovic
Mardy Fish
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"I'm just looking forward to a break right now. It can't be long because we have Fed Cup in a couple of weeks, so probably a few days, get settled at home."
Clijsters, who briefly reclaimed the No. 1 ranking from Caroline Wozniacki after reaching the final in Paris in February, could now lose second place after failing to reach the semifinals for the second successive event.
Vera Zvonareva can move back above Clijsters if she wins the title at the U.S. hard-court event.
The third seed will next play Azarenka, having beaten Polish No. 9 Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5 6-3 in her earlier quarterfinal.
Zvonareva and Azarenka are the only players to have beaten Clijsters more than once since the three-time U.S. Open champion's return from retirement in 2009.
Azarenka, who has a 2-6 losing record against the Russian, won the 2009 title in Miami but was beaten by Clijsters in Florida in the fourth round last year.
This time she led 6-3 5-1 before Clijsters -- who made eight double-faults in losing her serve six times -- saved two match-points.
"She went for her shots and stayed in the match until the end. I knew it would be tough and I was ready," the Belarusian said.
"I have to play on a high level, because Vera is a very consistent player. She is showing some of the best tennis of her life right now, so I have to be aggressive and focused."
The other semifinal, also to be played on Thursday, sees Zvonareva's compatriot Maria Sharapova bid to reach her third Miami final against Germany's Andrea Petkovic.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic continued his hot run of form as he reached the semifinals of the men's event with a 6-4 6-2 crushing of South Africa's Kevin Anderson on Wednesday.
The Serbian, who beat world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the final at Indian Wells almost two weeks ago, is now undefeated in 22 matches this year.
The world No. 2 lost to Anderson in the second round in Miami three years ago, but progressed in one hour and 48 minutes to give himself a chance of a second title in Florida -- having won in 2007 and finished runner-up to Andy Murray in 2009.
The 23-year-old will next face Mardy Fish, who has beaten in all five previous meetings, after the 14th seed eliminated Australian Open semifinalist David Ferrer in the day's opening men's match.
Fish won 7-5 6-2 against the Spanish sixth seed to ensure that he will become the top-ranked American for the first time, above two-time Miami champion Andy Roddick, when the new list is released next week.
Roddick's title defense ended with a second-round defeat by 67th-ranked Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas last week.
Fish is hopeful that he can beat Djokovic, who has not dropped his serve in the tournament and has lost only 14 games in four matches so far.
"He's not going to win every single match this year. Whether it be this week or in July, he's not going to win every one. It's just not possible. So hopefully it can be me," the 29-year-old said.
In Thursday's men's quarterfinals, two-time runner-up Nadal will take on Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych while world No. 3 Roger Federer plays French 25th seed Gilles Simon as he seeks his third title here.
COMMENT: Than clijsters crashed out in the tourment of miami and novak djokovic of Serbia marches into semifinals
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