Kim Clijsters Wins Match Against Venus Williams in US Open Tennis
At the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday, Kim Clijsters continued with her victory of 6-0, 0-6, 6-4, taking her to the quarterfinals in the 2009 US Open Championships. The game was against Venus Williams, whom she ousted in the 4th round.
Williams has had trouble with her bad knee during the tournament, particularly when serving. She was able to pull a victory by a hair in the first round against Vera Dushevina. The former champion Clijsters recorded 27 unforced errors during the match against Williams on Sunday though. Clijsters is now the first mother to win a Grand Slam match since 1980 when Evonne Goolagong did so at Wimbledon.
Clijsters, 26, gave birth to daughter Jada in 2008 with husband Brian Lynch and says that it feels like she’s starting over. The champion took leave of playing tennis for years and notes that she now has the same hunger to play that she did when she was 15/16 years old. She added that it feels good.
WTA chief Stacey Allaster says that Clijsters’s victory is good for tennis as a sport, making a great story. Everyone knew the talent she possessed when she left to have a family, she continued, and the fans are embracing her return. Allaster added that she believes this sends a great message to working moms that they can be successful in their career and have a family too.
In 2005, Clijsters won the US Open singles title, 34 WTA singles titles, and 11 WTA double titles. She has also been the singles runner-up at the French Open two times and runner-up at the Australian Open one time.