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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."


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