KIM Clijsters recovered from a set down to beat Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to win the Australian Open yesterday after the Chinese imploded under pressure in the second set and took out her frustrations on her country’s fans.
Third seed Clijsters, playing her eighth Grand Slam final, shrugged off a listless start to ratchet up the pressure to break Li Na’s serve at 3-3 in the second set in a tension-charged atmosphere at Rod Laver Arena.
The 28-year-old Li Na crumbled spectacularly and marched to the chair at the change of ends to ask British umpire Alison Lang: “Can you tell the Chinese don’t teach me how to play tennis?”
Having dominated after overcoming a nervous start, Li Na won only three of the next eight games as triple US Open champion Clijsters marched to her fourth Grand Slam title in two hours and five minutes.
Kim Clijsters proudly showing off the trophy after defeating China’s Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the women’s singles final of the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday. It was the Belgian’s fourth major title.Li Na, aiming to become China and Asia’s first singles Grand Slam champion, blasted a wild forehand to concede the match and Clijsters shrieked and held her head in elation.
Clijsters was strong early, blasting an ace on the first point, then broke Li Na to love to charge to a 2-0 lead, sealing the break with a down-the-line forehand passing shot that clipped the net before bouncing out of the Chinese player’s reach.
Ninth seed Li Na won her first point after losing the first eight and sparked into life, attacking Clijsters’s serve with abandon and taking the break back after the Belgian slapped a backhand wide.
Li Na saved two break points at 3-2 down and punished Clijsters in the next game, chasing down a weak volley by her opponent to earn two break points and then pressuring the Belgian into netting a backhand to take a 4-3 lead.
Furious: Li Na serving to Kim Clijsters during their women’s singles final at the Australian Open yesterday. At one stage of the final, Li Na got angry over the distraction caused by her fans (below). — Reuters/APClijsters blew another breakpoint and belted a forehand wide to allow Li Na to hold serve and the Chinese pressed the advantage to bring up two set points with a searing forehand.
Li Na sealed the second set point with an imperious crosscourt forehand that passed Clijsters at the net.
The Belgian stormed back into contention by winning the second set 6-3 as Li Na became preoccupied with taking her frustrations out on the fans who came to support her at Rod Laver Arena.
Having charged through the first set in 38 minutes, Li Na stumbled in the opening game of the second, netting a backhand to give Clijsters a breakpoint, then double-faulting to trail 1-0.
Clijsters, her pea-green dress now soaked in sweat, again failed to capitalise, however, dumping a forehand into the net then a backhand to hand the break straight back.
The players each surrendered their serve once more as the pressure intensified on a balmy night in Melbourne, before Li Na finally held serve to lead 3-2, when Clijsters netted another shot.
Clijsters held serve to gain a jolt of confidence then ratcheted up the tempo at 3-3 to throw Li Na off her game.
Li Na saved one breakpoint but failed to put away a volley on the second and Clijsters blasted a winner to take the decisive break.
Li Na then exploded at the umpire and Clijsters took advantage of Li Na’s gloom, holding serve before sealing the set when Li Na dumped a backhand into the net. — Reuters
congrats......new champ.
BalasPadam