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Clijsters does a US Open repeat
Source: Agencies |
September 13, 2010, Monday
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BELGIUM'S Kim Clijsters won her second straight US Open women's title in New York on Saturday after crushing seventh-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-1 in the most lopsided triumph in 34 years.
The second-seeded Clijsters hit 17 winners while making just 15 unforced errors against a nervous Zvonareva to match the three games lost by American Chris Evert in her 6-3, 6-0 demolition of Australian Evonne Goolagong in 1976.
Clijsters, 27, extended her Flushing Meadows match-winning streak to 21, having also won the title in 2005 before missing a year due to injury and two more to start a family.
"It's been an incredible year, being back in the Open and for the first time I'm able to defend my title," the Belgian said.
Last year her infant daughter Jada came on court to cavort around the shiny silver trophy after Clijsters struck a blow for working mothers everywhere with a grand slam victory in just her third tournament back from her hiatus.
On Saturday, curly-haired Jada looked on from the stands, sucking a lollipop as her mom made quick work of Zvonareva.
Clijsters cruised through the first set in 27 minutes after twice breaking Zvonareva's serve. The Russian, appearing in her first final at Flushing Meadows, gifted Clijsters a break in the sixth game with a double fault and three unforced errors.
Then Clijsters wrapped up the set with a service break when Zvonareva slapped a backhand into the net. Another double fault by the Russian, who was also runner-up at Wimbledon this season, in the sixth game of the second set put Clijsters up by two breaks and she quickly ended the 59-minute match with a forehand winner in the next game.
It was the quickest women's final since officials started keeping track of match times in 1980. Not since 1995 has a US Open women's final lasted three sets.
"Kim just played tremendously well today. She deserved to win," said the Russian, who burst into tears at the end of the match, undone by the Belgian's bullet groundstrokes and by her own 24 unforced errors.
Clijsters, the first woman to defend her title at Flushing Meadows since Venus Williams in 2001, tried to console Zvonareva after the match. "A little bit of experience definitely helps. She has improved so much," said Clijsters, who lost her first four slam finals before beginning her US Open run of success.
"Vera just keep it going, it will happen."
Clijsters pocketed US$2.2 million for her efforts. In addition to the US$1.7 million winner's prize she received a US$500,000 bonus for finishing second in the US Open Series of tournaments leading up to the grand slam event.
"I've always felt more comfortable on this surface. Not just this year, but even when I was 14, 15, 16," Clijsters said a week before the US Open began. "Everything comes easier."
The second-seeded Clijsters hit 17 winners while making just 15 unforced errors against a nervous Zvonareva to match the three games lost by American Chris Evert in her 6-3, 6-0 demolition of Australian Evonne Goolagong in 1976.
Clijsters, 27, extended her Flushing Meadows match-winning streak to 21, having also won the title in 2005 before missing a year due to injury and two more to start a family.
"It's been an incredible year, being back in the Open and for the first time I'm able to defend my title," the Belgian said.
Last year her infant daughter Jada came on court to cavort around the shiny silver trophy after Clijsters struck a blow for working mothers everywhere with a grand slam victory in just her third tournament back from her hiatus.
On Saturday, curly-haired Jada looked on from the stands, sucking a lollipop as her mom made quick work of Zvonareva.
Clijsters cruised through the first set in 27 minutes after twice breaking Zvonareva's serve. The Russian, appearing in her first final at Flushing Meadows, gifted Clijsters a break in the sixth game with a double fault and three unforced errors.
Then Clijsters wrapped up the set with a service break when Zvonareva slapped a backhand into the net. Another double fault by the Russian, who was also runner-up at Wimbledon this season, in the sixth game of the second set put Clijsters up by two breaks and she quickly ended the 59-minute match with a forehand winner in the next game.
It was the quickest women's final since officials started keeping track of match times in 1980. Not since 1995 has a US Open women's final lasted three sets.
"Kim just played tremendously well today. She deserved to win," said the Russian, who burst into tears at the end of the match, undone by the Belgian's bullet groundstrokes and by her own 24 unforced errors.
Clijsters, the first woman to defend her title at Flushing Meadows since Venus Williams in 2001, tried to console Zvonareva after the match. "A little bit of experience definitely helps. She has improved so much," said Clijsters, who lost her first four slam finals before beginning her US Open run of success.
"Vera just keep it going, it will happen."
Clijsters pocketed US$2.2 million for her efforts. In addition to the US$1.7 million winner's prize she received a US$500,000 bonus for finishing second in the US Open Series of tournaments leading up to the grand slam event.
"I've always felt more comfortable on this surface. Not just this year, but even when I was 14, 15, 16," Clijsters said a week before the US Open began. "Everything comes easier."
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