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Clijsters wins crack at a grand slam

Posted on: Friday, 9 September 2005, 18:33 CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Belgium's Kim Clijsters earned another crack at claiming her first grand slam singles title by holding off tenacious top seed Maria Sharapova of Russia 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 on Friday to reach the U.S. Open women's final.

The fourth-seeded Clijsters, four times a grand slam runner-up, will meet 12th seed Mary Pierce in Saturday's final.

Pierce earlier became the first Frenchwoman to reach the U.S. Open final by overcoming sixth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

"It's amazing," Clijsters said after clinching victory on her sixth match point when Sharapova dumped a forehand into the net.

Clijsters has climbed back up the tennis rankings after missing nearly a year following wrist surgery and falling as low as 134 in the world. The 22-year-old also had to fight back in Friday's semi-final after failing to convert five match points against Sharapova in the second set.

"It was tough. I think I gave everything I had on those last points, but she just came up with better shots," said Clijsters, who has won six titles in 2005. "From the third set on, I just said 'go for it, go for your shots,' and it worked."

Sharapova, who had an awful first set from the service line, refused to go quietly. After serving a double fault to fall behind 0-40 in the 12th game of the second set, the Russian starting uncorking winners to bring the game to deuce and fought off two more match points to force a tiebreak.

INCONSISTENT SERVE

After falling behind 2-3 in the tiebreak, Sharapova ran off three points in a row and closed it out at 7-4 with two forehand winners.

Clijsters shrugged of that disappointment and broke the 18-year-old Sharapova in her first two service games of the third set on the way to seizing a commanding 4-0 lead. The Russian still did not give up, breaking Clijsters twice before finally succumbing.

Sharapova was hurt by an inconsistent serve that produced seven double faults.

Sharapova lost all four of her service games in the first set, winning just five points on serve and yielding the last game of the set on a double fault.

It was Clijsters' fourth win without a defeat against Sharapova, including a straight-sets win over the Russian in the final in Miami earlier this year.

Clijsters, who lost in the 2003 U.S. Open final to compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne, has an added incentive in this Open final. By winning the U.S. Open series with the best record in hard court tournaments this summer, the Belgian will be paid double her U.S. Open winnings -- bringing her a record payday of $2.2 million should she win the top prize.

"I'm not really playing for the money. I just want to go out there and have fun," Clijsters said. "That's what I'm doing. Since my injury, playing tennis means so much more.

"I'm really looking forward to it," she said about facing Pierce. "My first grand slam final since my injury, so let's go for it."

Source: REUTERS

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