The stats for today's second women's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tell a lot: Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters made a combined 93 unforced errors and hit a combined total of 53 winners. They broke each other four times apiece. The wind blew, and the momentum of the match swung, sometimes surprisingly. It took two hours and 23 minutes to sort it all out, but in the end, it was defending champion and 2nd seed Kim Clijsters who walked off the court a winner.
Venus Williams, seeded 3rd, took the first set 6-4, after breaking Clijsters in the seventh game. The wind began to blow with more force when the second set started, and it became harder to serve, though Williams did hit three consecutive aces early in the set. After a furious exchange of breaks, Clijsters took the lead at 5-4, then suddenly suffered a service collapse, easily giving Williams yet another break. The set would go to a tiebreak--the first the pair had ever played against one another. The 3rd seed double-faulted her way to a 0-3 deficit, and never recovered. In almost no time, Clijsters had six set points, and she took the set on her second one.
Williams began the final set with more service errors, and Clijsters got an early break. But then the 2nd seed made back-to-back double faults and lost her focus again, resulting in a break for Williams. Clijsters was to break back, however, with a backhand lob that turned out to be the shot of the match. With a 5-4 lead, she held easily.
The defending champion's 4-6, 6-7, 6-4 win gives her a 20-match streak at the U.S. Open. She won the Open in 2005, with a decisive victory over Mary Pierce. Clijsters retired from the tour, and didn't play in Flushing Meadows again until 2009, shortly after her return to professional tennis. In that tournament, she defeated both Venus and Serena Williams, and then beat Caroline Wozniacki in the final.
Venus Williams won the U.S. Open in 2000 and 2001. She last reached the semifinals in 2007, when she was defeated by eventual champion Justine Henin. Williams did not play in this year's U.S. Open Series because of problems with her knee.
Go Kim go! What a great job.
ReplyDeleteI hope Kim loses! What a nasty handshake at the end! she couldn't even look Venus in the eye! Kim's had a lot of luck with the quaters and semis(Sam should have won) but her luck will run out saturday Ms. Z will put an end to that!
ReplyDeleteI heard everyone talking about the handshake at the net, but seeing as I was so disappointed that Venus lost and aggravated by the one sided commentary in the booth that I really could not sit and watch. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI wonder when the commentators and experts are going to start describing Clijsters as a one surface player, seeing as the only major that she does well at is the US Open? You know along the same lines like they kill Venus for not having the game to play on anything but grass.
I am just so sick and tired of the commentators in the booth especially when it comes to Clijsters. You would think she is the only woman with a viable womb who has been able to give birth and go back to work. Give me a break already.
I've watched the handshake four or five times, and I've yet to find anything "nasty" about it. It's a handshake we see a lot--a terrible loss for someone who came so close, and probably wants to get off the court fast, and an opponent who acknowledges that. Kim did look at Venus. I thought the handshake was just about right for the occasion.
ReplyDeleteTo me it was a "nasty" handashake, and Kim didn't look Venus in the eye. This is how I saw it and I to watch it many times too. I'm sure this would have been different if Venus won and did that to Kim! lol, "MOST" Americans are happy that the "New American Mommy" won, so they have no complaints! This is how this 53 year old American seen it! I respectfully disgree with you and I'll leave it at that! On to the finals GOOOOOOOOO VERA!
ReplyDeleteFor the record, Kim actually said something to Venus at the net. And, yes--to address the other issue--Venus has done many perfunctory handshakes over the years, and that's just fine. There is nothing "impolite" about a perfunctory handshake.
ReplyDeleteChris and Martina called the match for Tennis Channel. What a pity that wasn't the live feed.
lol, these two former pros can't stand the William sisters! so I take their commentary with a grain of salt! If they did say something nice about Venus it was done snidely! But to each his own, their just glad that they didn't have to grit their teeth if they had to talk about a Venus win! Their "Mommy American" came threw.
ReplyDeleteWell, I actually watched it, and I thought it was fair and higly entertaining.
ReplyDeletelol, I'm sure you did! But like I said, to each his own! Martina and Chris fair when talking about the William sisters, I need CPR on that one!
ReplyDeleteDo you know who called the match for the online (usopen.org) broadcast? A female with an accent and a male. Who was the female?
ReplyDeleteAtanas, I didn't watch it online, but it was most likely Virginia Wade.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diane!
ReplyDelete