Clijsters Claims Consecutive Title
US Open defending champion Kim Clijsters smashed Vera Zvonareva in the Meadows final in straight sets 6-2, 6-1. Despite, it wasn’t the tough final the many expected to see, the match saw the Belgian the happier the faster she ended the meeting. The Russian lost her second Grand Slam final this year, including Wimbledon, in front or more experienced Clijsters who took tonight her second consecutive trophy in New York. The match was mostly dominated by the 27-year-old Belgian who, just like in the past, called her daughter on the court to share the happiness in family. Thus, Clijsters remains unbeaten for 21 games at US Open.
“A little bit of experience definitely helps. Zvonareva has improved so much. Vera just keep it going, it will happen. It’s been an incredible year, being back in the Open and for the first time I’m able to defend my title,” defending champion would declare right after the final. However, the Russian had to ease with another Grand Slam final lost, but to become one of the biggest dangers among the top players. Clijsters exited at this season’s Wimbledon early from the quarter finals, loss which was labeled by the Belgian as her biggest disappointments in her tennis career. “The one at Wimbledon was one of the most disappointing losses I’ve dealt with in my career. In a way I was excited to play her again to get revenge. I learned some things from that match. That game at 3-1 in the second set was a longer game and was a very important game for me to win, because I just didn’t give her that small chance to get back into the match. That was a big game for me to finish it off there,” she added.
Clijsters had a pretty tough way through the final, meeting and beating former number one Ana Ivanovic, but also names like Samantha Stosur and of course Venus Williams, whom the Belgian ousted in the semi final. She knew she was about to be followed by the most who were curious to see whether the same performance provided last year at Meadows will be repeated. And it was. “Last year, people were still curious to see how I was playing; this year, people knew with my history here I was maybe one of the contenders. I wasn’t playing my best tennis at the beginning of the tournament, but I was able to lift my game in the last two matches, when I needed to. That’s probably what I’m most pleased about over these last 14 days, that I was able to do that.”
During the ceremony, Clijsters praised Russian’s progress and play at the US Open to foresee her as a main favorite everywhere she’ll be playing. Then she told Zvonareva it her six or seven finals until the first tile came. Russian’s reply came as just. “Kim’s a great champion, but also a great person. Because she said that, maybe I’m not so disappointed now,” but still hopes for better playing in the finals. “Hopefully I’ll have another chance. Hopefully I’ll go far in another Grand Slam. Hopefully I will be more experienced,” Zvonareva added.
