Clijsters breaks grand-slam duck

NEW YORK – A relieved Kim Clijsters finally shook off the tag of best player never to win a grand slam title when she stormed to a popular victory at the US Open on Saturday.

The Belgian broke her duck on the big stage with a demolition of Frenchwoman Mary Pierce, putting the seal on an astonishing comeback from a career-threatening injury and the mental scars of four grand slam final defeats. “I think that I just proved to myself that I can do it and that I’m up there with the best of them,” Clijsters said after her 6-3 6-1 victory.”All the hard work and everything, that’s more satisfying to me, it’s paid off.”I got a little frustrated every time I got asked in press conferences about it.”I had the idea that the media was making it a bigger deal of it than I was.I was very motivated and I was working hard to try to do it.So now you don’t have to ask that anymore.”Beaten in the final of the French Open in 2001 by American Jennifer Capriati, Clijsters’ nerve was called into question when she was defeated three times by compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne in three grand slam finals in 2003 and 2004.A serious injury to her left wrist required surgery in 2004 and she missed most of the year only to return fitter and stronger in 2005, winning six hardcourt titles in the run-up to the US Open.”Maybe it wasn’t my time yet in those grand slams,” she said.”Losing those grand slams, not just the finals but also losing to Serena (Williams) in Australia (when she led 5-1 in the final set of their semi-final in 2003), those definitely motivate you to work harder and to work on a lot of things.Clijsters said the break may have helped her in the long run.”I think everything that happened, happened for a reason,” she said.”Maybe that’s why I’m sitting here now, you know, with this trophy next to me.”A lot of times, winning Indian Wells, Miami, it’s just so, so hard to believe everything that I’ve done, this year.”I think that’s the hard work, again.I think it pays off.”- Nampa-Reuters”I think that I just proved to myself that I can do it and that I’m up there with the best of them,” Clijsters said after her 6-3 6-1 victory.”All the hard work and everything, that’s more satisfying to me, it’s paid off.”I got a little frustrated every time I got asked in press conferences about it.”I had the idea that the media was making it a bigger deal of it than I was.I was very motivated and I was working hard to try to do it.So now you don’t have to ask that anymore.”Beaten in the final of the French Open in 2001 by American Jennifer Capriati, Clijsters’ nerve was called into question when she was defeated three times by compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne in three grand slam finals in 2003 and 2004.A serious injury to her left wrist required surgery in 2004 and she missed most of the year only to return fitter and stronger in 2005, winning six hardcourt titles in the run-up to the US Open.”Maybe it wasn’t my time yet in those grand slams,” she said.”Losing those grand slams, not just the finals but also losing to Serena (Williams) in Australia (when she led 5-1 in the final set of their semi-final in 2003), those definitely motivate you to work harder and to work on a lot of things.Clijsters said the break may have helped her in the long run.”I think everything that happened, happened for a reason,” she said.”Maybe that’s why I’m sitting here now, you know, with this trophy next to me.”A lot of times, winning Indian Wells, Miami, it’s just so, so hard to believe everything that I’ve done, this year.”I think that’s the hard work, again.I think it pays off.”- Nampa-Reuters