Home>News Center>Sports
             
     

    Clijsters cruises by Pierce to win US Open
    (AP)
    Updated: 2005-09-11 11:30

    There's never been any doubt about Clijsters' talent. She's a former No. 1 who arrived at the Open with 27 career titles — six this year alone. But she'd never won the Big One — or any of the four majors. She reached the final at the French and U.S. opens in 2003, as well as the Australian in 2004, and each time she fell short against Henin-Hardenne. She also lost to Jennifer Capriati in the 2001 French Open.

    But that was before the career-threatening wrist injury. The 22-year-old had surgery June 2004 to remove a cyst on her left wrist, and missed the next four majors. She came to the U.S. Open last year, but only as a spectator to watch ex-fiance Lleyton Hewitt — a semifinalist loser a couple of hours before Clijsters took the court.

    When Clijsters returned to the tour this spring, she came back with a new attitude. She's talked of retiring in two years, and is determined to make the most of her career while it lasts.

    Kim Clijsters of Belgium climbs into the crowd to greet her family following her win over Mary Pierce of France in the final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York, September 10, 2005.
    Kim Clijsters of Belgium climbs into the crowd to greet her family following her win over Mary Pierce of France in the final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York, September 10, 2005. [Reuters]
    "There's a time and a place for everything. Maybe it wasn't my time yet in those Grand Slams," she said. "Especially losing those Grand Slams, those definitely motivate you to work harder."

    And it showed against Pierce. The Frenchwoman is playing the best tennis of her career, five years after she won the French Open and 10 years after her victory at the Australian. She also reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, losing to Venus Williams, and will be No. 6 when the new rankings come out Monday, her first time in the top 10 since April 1, 2001.

    Pierce upset Henin-Hardenne and third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo here as well as Elena Dementieva — though she needed an assist from the trainer to do that. Pierce had her right thigh heavily wrapped again Saturday, but duct tape wouldn't have helped her against Clijsters.

    The Belgian was too strong, too crisp, too fleet.

    "I thought it was going to be the ending point if I won it. I guess I'll keep playing," said Pierce, whose prize of $825,000 includes a $275,000 bonus for finishing second in the U.S. Open Series.

    "It was a big disappointment right after the match," Pierce said. "Even during, at certain times."

    No wonder. Clijsters served notice from the start she was there to play, coming back from 30-0 to break Pierce in the first game of the match.

    "When she came back to 30-all, I knew it was going to be tough. A very tough match," Pierce said.

    Clijsters used her superior athletic ability to chase down ball after ball, skidding into her trademark splits several times, and made Pierce work for any point she got. Pierce called for a trainer twice, but she moved just fine when she had to. In the first set, she sprinted from the baseline to reach a backhand drop volley from Clijsters, saving it with a backhand crosscourt scoop. But Clijsters answered right back with a backhand half-volley, and Pierce could only watch it go by.

    Her bigger problem was her inability to get any of her shots working consistently against Clijsters. Her shots seemed to go a touch too long or fall just short. Other times, she stood like a statue on the court, watching Clijsters rocket balls past her and prompting one fan to shout, "Mary! Wake up!"

    But Clijsters continued to befuddle her. When Pierce hit a backhand wide to give Clijsters the first set, she walked slowly to the chair and called for a trainer. That was only prolonging the inevitable.

    Clijsters won 12 of the first 13 points of the second set to go up 3-0. Pierce held serve to make the score a little respectable, but her body language confirmed what everyone in the stands already knew. The match was all but over, and Clijsters was on her way to winning her first major title in grand fashion.

    "Kim, congratulations," Pierce said, standing next to her opponent. "You were really too good today and you deserved to win."


    Page: 12



    Clijsters and Pierce set up U.S. Open final showdown
    China Open to kick off Saturday
    Yao with AIDS orphans
     
      Today's Top News     Top Sports News
     

    305,000 evacuated as typhoon nears East China

     

       
     

    China, Canada to build strategic partnership

     

       
     

    China's diplomacy enters golden age

     

       
     

    Katrina costs could approach those of wars

     

       
     

    Hong Kong Disneyland ready to open Monday

     

       
     

    Dengue plunges Singapore into health crisis

     

       
      Clijsters cruises by Pierce to win US Open
       
      Chinese vice-president inspects HK equestrian racecourse
       
      Yao leads China past Chinese Taipei 76-58 at Asian Champs
       
      Nadal, Davenport top seeds in China Open
       
      China take 10th consecutive Asian women's volleyball champion
       
      Beckham: Man Utd's Rooney must curb temper
       
     
      Go to Another Section  
     
     
      Story Tools  
       
    Advertisement
             
    中文字幕乱码免费看电影| 亚洲国产精品无码久久久久久曰 | 中文字幕aⅴ人妻一区二区| 亚洲中文字幕无码爆乳AV| 免费A级毛片无码A∨中文字幕下载 | 亚洲熟妇无码八AV在线播放| 中文字幕亚洲欧美专区| 久久久久久久人妻无码中文字幕爆| 国产中文字幕在线免费观看| 中文成人无码精品久久久不卡| 国产午夜无码精品免费看| 最新高清无码专区| 中文字幕亚洲图片| 日韩视频中文字幕精品偷拍| 亚洲精品中文字幕无码蜜桃| 久久久久无码中| 97无码免费人妻超| 精品日韩亚洲AV无码一区二区三区| 亚洲国产a∨无码中文777| 久久久久亚洲AV无码观看| 乱人伦中文字幕在线看| 91中文字幕在线观看| 中文亚洲AV片不卡在线观看| 少妇无码?V无码专区在线观看| 国产成人无码一区二区在线播放| 亚洲av激情无码专区在线播放 | 无码人妻精品一区二区三区在线 | 熟妇人妻中文字幕无码老熟妇| 精品无码成人片一区二区98| 最近中文字幕大全2019| 日本中文字幕网站| 新版天堂资源中文8在线| 最近高清中文在线国语字幕5| 色婷婷久久综合中文久久一本| 最近免费中文字幕大全免费 | 中文字幕国产视频| 日韩va中文字幕无码电影| 亚洲午夜无码久久久久| 亚洲Aⅴ无码专区在线观看q| 精品成在人线AV无码免费看| 国产真人无码作爱免费视频|