The Belgian's first career Grand Slam title comes in a 6-3, 6-1 rout of Mary Pierce.
By KEITH NIEBUHR, Times Staff Writer
Published September 11, 2005
NEW YORK - The day she finally broke through, finally picked her game up a notch when it counted most, finally claimed that first Grand Slam title after so many previous major championship failures, Kim Clijsters won in a way most in the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd of 22,939 probably didn't expect.
With ease.
In a dominating display of her many talents, the 22-year-old Belgian star finished off Sarasota's Mary Pierce 6-3, 6-1 Saturday night in 65 minutes to claim her first major title. When it ended, the fourth-seeded Clijsters, who missed last year's Open with a serious wrist injury, climbed into the stands to celebrate with her friends and family, while Pierce sat in stunned silence in her courtside chair.
"It's still very hard to believe," Clijsters said. "It's an amazing feeling, especially after being out for so long last year. I'm a little speechless."
Clijsters entered the tournament with 27 singles titles and more than $10-million in earnings, but her career wasn't validated until Pierce smacked a service return into the net at 9:31 p.m. Clijsters, one of the WTA Tour's most well-liked players, was 0-4 in major championship finals, and in the eyes of some was not only the best player of her generation without a major but perhaps the best ever.
Her past Grand Slam failures were painful.
Three of her championship match losses were to countrywoman Justine Henin-Hardenne. Two of the defeats were blowouts. The others went three sets, including the 2001 French Open final, which she lost to Saddlebrook's Jennifer Capriati 12-10 in the third.
Clijsters' most notable collapse came at the 2003 Australian Open. After leading eventual champ Serena Williams 5-1 in the third set of the semifinals, she lost 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 despite having two match points.
That is now a distant memory.
"I'm so happy for you," a gracious Pierce, who is French, told Clijsters during the post-match ceremony. "You're such a sweet girl. You were too good today and you deserved to win."
Pierce, the 12th seed, wasn't at her best Saturday evening, but her ride in the Big Apple was something to marvel. At age 30 and in her 17th year on tour, she reached her first Open final. In 12 previous Opens, she had advanced past the fourth round only twice, the last time in 1999. Pierce also reached the final of this year's French Open before losing a lopsided match to Henin-Hardenne.
This was a similarly disappointing result.
In an unusually sloppy opening set, Clijsters controlled from the start. With the help of a break in the very first game and another in the fifth, she raced to a 4-1 lead. Pierce broke back in the sixth game and held in the seventh, but Clijsters finished her off with another break ahead 5-3. On set point No. 2, Pierce committed her 17th unforced error, a backhand that missed long.
The next set was more of the same.
It was a complete victory. Clijsters won 58 points to 38 for Pierce, had more winners (16-7) and fewer errors (19-28).
Now she can sleep a little easier.
She's now, finally, a major champion.
"I'm looking forward to going home and celebrating with all the people in Belgium," Clijsters said.
