Clijsters makes history to win US Open
Kim Clijsters: a popular winner
Also In The News
|
By Matt Fortune. |  |
Monday, 14, Sep 2009 02:33
By James Christie
Watched by her 18-month-old daughter, comeback girl Kim Clijsters became the first female player without a world ranking to win a Grand Slam when she triumphed in the US Open final last night.
The 26-year-old Belgian, playing in only her third tournament since ending her 27-month-exile from the game, was simply too good for her talented 19-year-old Danish opponent Caroline Wozniacki , winning 7-5, 6-3 before sinking to her knees to celebrate her amazing triumph.
In emotional scenes her daughter Jada was brought down on to the court to see her mother lift the trophy.
How proud she will be of her mum when she is old enough to realise the enormity of her achievement - Clijsters is also the first mother to win a Grand Slam since Evonne Goolagang Cawley defeated Chris Evert Lloyd in the Wimbledon final of 1980.
Having not played at Flushing Meadows since she threw off her reputation as a big-match choker by winning the title in 2005, she has in effect been unbeaten in New York for five years.
She started the match with a gesture typical of her generosity; giving away the flowers that the tournament organisers traditionally give to the ladies' finalists to the ball girl who carried her racquets to the court.
But she was in a less generous mood when breaking Wozniacki's serve at the first time of asking when the match begun.
Not that the Dane was content to merely make up the numbers, breaking back and looking the better of the two players when she forged a 5-4 lead.
But the days of Clijsters underachieving in major finals belong to the past - she levelled and then broke to take the first set 7-5.
The decisive break came in game five of the second set and though Wozniacki's fine returning threatened a break-back, Clijsters held on; a winning smash setting up tearful scenes of joy.
Warm appreciation was also shown by the crowd for the loser, whose sunny disposition contributed so much to the entertaining match, helping to dispel the sour memories of the foot-faulting Serena Williams abusing a line judge in the semi-final.
Clijsters will now take a place in the world's top 20 once again and no-one will be able to take away her place in the history of great sporting achievements - how the tennis world has missed her presence during her period of semi-retirement.