Kim Clijsters, just 18 months after having a baby and three tournaments into a comeback, stunningly won the U.S. Open last night with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Caroline Wozniacki at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
With her tow-headed daughter, Jada, in the friends box, Clijsters looked as if she never missed a step in a two-year retirement. Not even eligible to be ranked and needing a wild card to get into the Open, Clijsters was as surprised as anyone to win.
She becomes the first mother since Evonne Goolagong in 1980 to win a Grand Slam title. Goolagong won Wimbledon that year. And after mom put on a real show in winning the Open, Jada put on a real show for the crowd and photographers, posing with the trophy then running around the court, showing she might even have her mom's wheels one day.
"I don't have words for this," said Clijsters, who hadn't played in the Open since she won in 2005, having to skip it with injury in 2006 followed by her retirement. "I'm just glad I got to come back and defend my 2005 title."
She had been expected to win Grand Slam titles before that 2005 Open, her only major, but nerves often played a role in her demise. Now being a mother may have helped with that.
"It's the greatest feeling in the world being a mother," she said. "We tried to keep it fun for her, and that helped me with the craziness a little bit."
Clijsters' road to the title took her through four seeded players. In addition to the No. 9 Wozniacki, there was No. 14 Marion Bartoli, No. 3 Venus Williams and No. 2 Serena Williams, whom she beat in a controversial semifinal Saturday night in which Clijsters, ahead 6-4 and 6-5 15-40, was awarded the match when Williams was assessed a penalty point for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Last night Clijsters ran out to a 3-0 lead in the first set, then Wozniacki got her substantial legs under her, and got a couple of breaks of Clijsters serve to take a 5-4 lead. Wozniacki was timing Clijsters' serve and her topspin returns were giving Clijsters trouble in the gusty conditions.
But with Wozniacki serving for the set, Clijsters again began to assert herself, got the break, held her serve and broke Wozniacki again to take the set. The second set seemed a foregone conclusion once Clijsters got the first break and she finished it off with ease.
Clijsters returned to the tour this August and won five matches in two events, an impressive showing for a player out of the highest level of the game for so long.
Wozniacki, No. 8 in the world after three tournament wins this season, appeared in her first Grand Slam final. She is the first Dane, man or woman, to get this far in the Open. She likely will get here again and more than once. At the victory ceremony she gave her runner-up speech in English, Danish and Polish, much to the delight of the crowd.
"She played a great match and deserved this trophy," said Wozniacki, who had ended the run of 17-year-old Melanie Oudin in the quarterfinals.
Mom's night out was one to remember.
With her tow-headed daughter, Jada, in the friends box, Clijsters looked as if she never missed a step in a two-year retirement. Not even eligible to be ranked and needing a wild card to get into the Open, Clijsters was as surprised as anyone to win.
She becomes the first mother since Evonne Goolagong in 1980 to win a Grand Slam title. Goolagong won Wimbledon that year. And after mom put on a real show in winning the Open, Jada put on a real show for the crowd and photographers, posing with the trophy then running around the court, showing she might even have her mom's wheels one day.
"I don't have words for this," said Clijsters, who hadn't played in the Open since she won in 2005, having to skip it with injury in 2006 followed by her retirement. "I'm just glad I got to come back and defend my 2005 title."
She had been expected to win Grand Slam titles before that 2005 Open, her only major, but nerves often played a role in her demise. Now being a mother may have helped with that.
"It's the greatest feeling in the world being a mother," she said. "We tried to keep it fun for her, and that helped me with the craziness a little bit."
Clijsters' road to the title took her through four seeded players. In addition to the No. 9 Wozniacki, there was No. 14 Marion Bartoli, No. 3 Venus Williams and No. 2 Serena Williams, whom she beat in a controversial semifinal Saturday night in which Clijsters, ahead 6-4 and 6-5 15-40, was awarded the match when Williams was assessed a penalty point for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Last night Clijsters ran out to a 3-0 lead in the first set, then Wozniacki got her substantial legs under her, and got a couple of breaks of Clijsters serve to take a 5-4 lead. Wozniacki was timing Clijsters' serve and her topspin returns were giving Clijsters trouble in the gusty conditions.
But with Wozniacki serving for the set, Clijsters again began to assert herself, got the break, held her serve and broke Wozniacki again to take the set. The second set seemed a foregone conclusion once Clijsters got the first break and she finished it off with ease.
Clijsters returned to the tour this August and won five matches in two events, an impressive showing for a player out of the highest level of the game for so long.
Wozniacki, No. 8 in the world after three tournament wins this season, appeared in her first Grand Slam final. She is the first Dane, man or woman, to get this far in the Open. She likely will get here again and more than once. At the victory ceremony she gave her runner-up speech in English, Danish and Polish, much to the delight of the crowd.
"She played a great match and deserved this trophy," said Wozniacki, who had ended the run of 17-year-old Melanie Oudin in the quarterfinals.
Mom's night out was one to remember.
