Clijsters steamrolls over Williams
US Open champion Kim Clijsters steamrolled Venus Williams 6-2, 6-1 on
Saturday to win her second Miami hardcourt WTA title. “I felt from the
beginning I was ready to go and really seeing the ball well,” said
Clijsters, who claimed her third title since starting a comeback last
year after more than two seasons away from the WTA.
Clijsters, the 14th seed, also won here in 2005 - two years before
she retired.
Now the Belgian, who married and had a baby during her break from the
tour, will climb to number 10 in the world rankings next week, the
highest ranking for the former number one since her return.
Her young daughter, Jada, was watching from the stands as the
26-year-old wrapped up the victory in just 58 minutes, lifting her arms
in triumph when Williams sailed a forehand long on the first of
three-match points.
Top-ranked Serena Williams sat in the photographers’ pit and cheered
her sister, but Venus couldn’t get her game on track. While Serena has
been sidelined with a left knee injury since her Australian Open
victory, Venus had been the hottest player on the WTA tour with 15
consecutive match wins as well as titles in Dubai and Acapulco last
month.
But the third-seeded American, who won the prestigious Miami title in
1998, 1999 and 2001, finished with a total of 29 unforced errors and won
only nine points in the second set as her usually dominant first serve
let her down.
“It wasn’t my best day,” said Williams, who had never lost a Miami
final before.
“She played extremely solid, but it’s not like I was blown off the
court. Unfortunately I was my own worst enemy.” Clijsters, brisk and
aggressive, made the most of Williams’ struggles.
AFP |