Kim Clijsters claimed her third U.S. Open Title today in convincing fashion, defeating Vera Zvonareva in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
Kim served to open the match. Both players held serve for the first five games, with Kim holding only a slight edge in the quality of play, which was high.
Kim held serve at love in the 5th game, to make the score 3-2. When Vera served, she put the ball into the net with a forehand at 30-40 to bring up the first break point, the sent the ball long with a backhand to give Kim the break.
At this point Vera became increasingly frustrated and error prone. After Kim held serve, she broke Vera again at love to take the 1st set, 6-2 in just 27 minutes.
Kim held serve at the start of the 2nd set, broke Vera’s serve for the third consecutive time, and held serve again to reach 3-0 within a few minutes. Vera held serve. While Kim served at 3-1, Vera had a chance to break back in a long game that included a 27-stroke rally, but Kim held again.
Vera had largely regained her composure by this time, but was becoming very tired, and Kim was not about to let her back into the match. Kim broke Vera again to go up 5-1, then served out the match for the win in just 59 minutes. It was the quickest women’s final since officials started keeping track of match times in 1980.
Kim, 27-years-old, finished with 17 winners and 15 errors; 26-year-old Vera had 6 winners and 24 errors.
It was Kim’s 21st consecutive match victory at Flushing Meadows. After winning the title in 2005, she missed the 2006 US Open due to injury, then retired from pro tennis in 2007. After returning to the WTA Tour last summer, she won the 2009 US Open as a wild card entry. Kim is the first woman to defend her title at Flushing Meadows since Venus Williams in 2001.
After the match, Kim said, “I’ve always felt more comfortable on this surface. Not just this year, but even when I was 14, 15, 16… Everything comes easier… I was able to play my last two matches at the highest level, so I was very pleased with that.”
Vera, who burst into tears at the end, simply said, “Kim just played tremendously well today. She deserved to win.”
