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Kim Clijsters

Kim Clijsters Beats Leylah Fernandez At Champions Series Mixed Team Event In Orlando

December 4, 2022 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

Leylah Fernandez and Jack Sock defeated Kim Clijsters and Sam Querrey 7-6(3) in the decisive mixed doubles match to clinch a 2-1 team victory and win the Bea for Kids Champions Challenge at The Heathrow Country Club in Orlando, Florida.

Fernandez, the world No. 40 and the 2021 U.S. Open women’s singles runner-up, overcame a 7-5 upset loss to Clijsters in the singles to re-bound and win her second mixed team title on the Champions Series circuit this year. In September, Fernandez paired with Bob Bryan to win the title at The Greenbrier in West Virginia in September.

Clijsters, the 39-year-old former world No. 1 and five years removed from her induction in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, opened the day’s play with her win over Fernandez, 19 years her junior. After Sock defeated former Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey 6-3 to tie the team score at 1-1, Fernandez returned to the court with Sock to beat Clijsters and Querrey 7-6 (3) to clinch the team victory.

“I’m just super happy to be sharing the court with Jack,” said Fernandez. “It’s always amazing to be beside him, and it’s always fun. He’s always funny. He always makes me laugh. So I think I just enjoyed myself playing with him, and I’m glad I was able to share the court also with Kim, who is legend in the game, and Sam. They’re amazing people and it was a great day overall.”

After playing with Clijsters during World TeamTennis matches over the last few years, Sock was confionted first-hand at the competitiveness of Clijsters, who event pegged the U.S. Davis Cupper with a hard volley at one point in the match.

“She’s like my second mom after we played World TeamTennis together, and so I thought we were like family, but clearly not,” joked Sock of Clijsters. “I have a welt right here on my leg. That’s going to feel good in the morning. But she is amazing and a legend of the game. It’s always fun to be around her.”

With the victory, Fernandez and Sock split the first prize of $50,000 while Querrey and Clijsters split the runner-up payout of 25,000.

For more information on Champions Series Tennis, go to www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a Los Angeles based producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, The World Series of Beach Volleyball and numerous corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $5 million for charity. In 2014, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment merged with Horizon Media, the largest privately held media services agency in the world. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Kim Clijsters

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Champions Series Tennis, jack sock, Kim Clijsters, Leylah Fernandez, Sam Querrey

Clijsters, Fernandez, Sock and Baghdatis To Compete In Latest Champions Series Tennis Mixed Team Event In St. Louis

June 6, 2022 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

LOS ANGELES – Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters and 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez will join four-time major doubles champ Jack Sock and 2006 Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis at the St. Louis Champions Classic, July 21 at Chaifetz Arena.

The event will be the second ever mixed team format event on the Champions Series tennis circuit featuring men’s and women’s legends competing throughout the year for prize money and the season-long points championship.

Clijsters and Sock will play as a team against Fernandez and Baghdatis, each playing a set of singles and then pairing for a deciding mixed doubles match.

The event will feature $75,000 in prize money with $50,000 going to the winning team and $25,000 to the runner-up. The winning team members will each be awarded 200 ranking points while the runner-up team members will be awarded 100 ranking points towards the season-long championship. Each player will also be awarded 100 ranking points for every singles match they participate in and an additional 100 ranking points for each victory.

“This is going to be a very special and exciting night of tennis, featuring two legend players competing against two current touring pros which will make for a fascinating dynamic,” said Jon Venison, Co-President of InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, the organization that founded and runs Champions Series Tennis.

Tickets are for sale starting Thursday, June 2 at www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

Earlier this year, Genie Bouchard and Tommy Haas were victorious in the first-ever Champions Series mixed team event at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif., defeating Sofia Kenin and Sam Querrey two matches to one. Champions Series Tennis will also stage events in 2022 in Dallas, The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Orlando and other sites to be announced. Full player fields and event dates will be announced in the near future.

For the St. Louis Champions Classic, the event will start with “Play with the Pros” fan experiences from 3 pm to 5 pm, followed by a “Player Party Experience” and a “Backstage Experience” starting at 5:30 pm. Sock and Baghdatis will kick off match play at 7 pm, followed by Clijsters and Fernandez and concluding with the mixed doubles match. Champions Series Tennis began in 2005 and over the last 16 years has featured some of the greatest names in men’s tennis, including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Michael Chang among others. Courier won the first Champions Series Tennis event held in 2005 in Houston at the Westside Tennis Club.

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a Los Angeles based producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, The World Series of Beach Volleyball and numerous corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $5 million for charity. In 2014, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment merged with Horizon Media, the largest privately held media services agency in the world. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or InvescoSeries.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Kim Clijsters
Kim Clijsters

Filed Under: Archives, Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Champions Series Tennis, jack sock, Kim Clijsters, Leylah Fernandez, Marcos Baghdatis

Kim Clijsters To Make WTA Tour Comeback At Age 36

September 12, 2019 by tennisbloggers

The WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) announced that former World No.1 Kim Clijsters, winner of 41 career singles titles including four Grand Slams and three season-ending WTA Finals, is in training with plans to compete on the professional tennis tour in 2020.

Clijsters, who played the first professional matches of her career on the ITF Circuit in 1997 and made her WTA debut age 15 at Antwerp in 1999, was 29 years old when she played her last competitive matches at the US Open in 2012. Now 36, the Belgian eyes her return to the tennis circuit as a mother of three – daughter Jada was born in February 2008, followed by sons Jack (2013) and Blake (2016). She is also a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, having been inducted in the Class of 2017.

“Kim Clijsters ranks among the greats of the game and her return to the Tour is exciting news for the WTA family and tennis fans around the world,” said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. “Driven by her love for the sport, this wonderful champion continues to inspire women and men in all walks of life – and she only adds to the compelling wealth of talent in women’s tennis. I wish Kim all the best in this next chapter of her playing career.”

Clijsters’ ‘first career’ was highlighted by two victories at the WTA Finals (2002-03), 19 non-consecutive weeks as World No.1 on the WTA Rankings (first attained on August 11, 2003 for 10 weeks), and a maiden Grand Slam title at the 2005 US Open. That triumph at Flushing Meadows came after four runner-up finishes at Slams: Roland Garros in 2001 and 2003, the US Open in 2003 and the Australian Open in 2004.

She stepped away from tennis in May 2007, marrying Brian Lynch shortly after and giving birth to a daughter, Jada, the following year. But in July 2009, after 26 months away from the tour, she launched a famous comeback that began with a run to the quarterfinals at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Then, in just her third tournament back, Clijsters won the US Open to become the first mother to win a Grand Slam title since Evonne Goolagong at Wimbledon in 1980. She defended the Flushing Meadows crown in 2010, before going on to capture a third WTA Finals title at Doha and win the 2011 Australian Open. Her victory in Melbourne helped Clijsters return to No.1 for a 20th career week in February 2011 – the only mother to hold the top spot since computer rankings began in November 1975.

Her last singles match was against Laura Robson in the second round at the 2012 US Open, which she lost in two tie-break sets. This was followed by a first round doubles exit partnering with fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens and finally, a second round appearance with Bob Bryan in the mixed doubles.

With 41 singles titles (41-19 record in finals), Clijsters still places third among active players, behind Serena Williams (72 titles) and Venus Williams (49) – and 14th on the Open Era list. She reached at least the semifinals on 16 of her 35 Grand Slam appearances and also shone in doubles, winning 2003 Roland Garros and Wimbledon (both with Ai Sugiyama) among 11 titles and spending 4 weeks at No.1. She remains one of just six women to simultaneously hold the top spot in both singles and doubles.

In addition to being a fan favorite, Clijsters won the WTA’s Peachy Kellmeyer Player Service Award in 2010 and the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award a record eight times – both accolades decided by peer vote. She was named Most Impressive Newcomer by international media in 1999; Comeback Player of the Year in 2005 and 2009; and Player of the Year in 2005 and 2010. In recent years she served as a Legend Ambassador for the WTA Finals in Singapore.

As a former World No.1, Clijsters is eligible for unlimited wildcards at WTA tournaments. She will need play three tournaments or earn 10 ranking points to re-establish a ranking.

Kim Clijsters
Kim Clijsters

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: Kim Clijsters, WTA

Life after tennis for Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters and Juan Carlos Ferrero?

September 15, 2012 by James Crabtree

by James A. Crabtree

Former grand slam champions Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters are retired. Now add 2003 French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero (well, after Valencia in October) to the list that has seen Fernando González and Ivan Ljubicic call it quits in 2012.
An era of big names and equally big characters is most certainly over. And they will all be missed. The sport will suffer for a short time, but new names shall replace them. The athletes themselves will surely enjoy the initial stages of not being on tour, but then they shall face a new problem. What on earth do you do when you are retired? Play bridge? Downsize? Renovate? Buy some ugly slippers? Purchase Grecian 2000? Play slot machines? Start a hobby, like pottery? Drive slowly and in your way? Play social tennis in the mornings?
Well these recent retirees are not the usual plus sixty vintage so they could settle down and have some kids. Or in the case of Kim and Ivan have more kids.
First of all is the unwritten prerequisite to enjoy oneself, take time out, relax and see the world. Okay, so the players in question have done a whole heap of travelling but maybe they need a get away from it all, with fine food in a beautiful location – minus the racquet. Hang on a minute, Juan Carlos Ferrero has his own hotel! Surely if Kim and Andy were to travel Juan would shout them a 10% discount as former grand slam champions. Seriously check out the food on the websites video!!!
http://www.hotelferrero.com/

Another idea is to do something different, perhaps apply talents to a different avenue such as Andre Agassi did with his school. Besides playing with Billie Jean, the pet bulldog, Andy Roddick has done something similar to Andre helping children improve their lives via his foundation. To date he has helped raise over ten million dollars. Maybe Fernando and Ivan could volunteer a day here and there now they have some spare time.
www.andyroddick.com/andy-roddick-foundation/
Other players in the past have set up businesses. Fred Perry launched the Fred Perry clothing brand (www.fredperry.com). Bjorn Borg set up the something similar with more emphasis on underwear (www.bjornborg.com). Other than his Davis Cup duties Pat Rafter has also spent a lot of time in his briefs for Bonds (www.bonds.com.au/pat-rafter).
Or perhaps these great players could pass on their knowledge like Sergi Bruguera and Emilio Sanchez have at their respective academies. It isn’t too hard to imagine Juan or Andy sitting as coach of a future great, such as Ivan Lendl has done with Andy Murray. Or perhaps even add their expertise within the commentary box like John McEnroe. Of the current crop it’s hard to imagine politics as an option, as it was for Marat Safin.
Lastly, we shouldn’t expect these guys to buy a condo and move down to Florida. Besides there is far too much tennis down there for them. Hang on a minute that could kick start a comeback! Maybe that is a good idea?

Filed Under: James Crabtree, Lead Story Tagged With: Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Davis Cup, Emilio Sanchez, Fred Perry, Ivan Ljubicic, Juan Carlos Ferr, Kim Clijsters, underwear

Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters call it quits — The Friday Five

August 31, 2012 by tennisbloggers

By Maud Watson

Farewell For Real

There was no singles fairytale ending for Kim Clijsters. In her opening round against young 16-year-old Victoria Duval, Clijsters spoke of passing the torch to the younger generation, and that’s exactly what happened in her following match, as she was outplayed by the young talent from Great Britain, Laura Robson. In many ways, her second round loss felt anti-climatic. Some of that may have been because Clijsters still technically had doubles to play. Maybe it was because she’d played so little since the summer of 2011 that it was hard to generate any buildup to her swan song. Or maybe it was simply that Clijsters wasn’t blatantly exhibiting any strong emotions (unlike Agassi). Resignation and a touch of relief were etched on her face, and you could hear a hint of contentment – an emotion that’s bound to blossom in the coming days. And why not? Clijsters gave it her all over the course of her illustrious career. She competed and defeated the game’s best. She won 41 singles titles, including four at the majors. She became the first mother since the 1980s to win a slam, and the first to reach No. 1. But more important than all of that was her friendly personality – the thing for which she will be remembered most. It’s an understatement to say she’ll be greatly missed, but with any luck, we’ll be fortunate enough to see her sometime in the future.

Andy Roddick announces his retirement at the 2012 US Open

Calling It a Day

Less than 24 hours after Kim Clijsters’ singles career came to an end, Andy Roddick ended speculation about whether or not 2012 would mark his last season as a professional when he held a press conference to confirm that the US Open would be his last event. The fact that he’s retiring isn’t a shock. His results have been subpar by his standards, and it was obvious that more often than not, he wasn’t enjoying himself out there. But the abrupt nature of his retirement certainly might have caught some off guard, which makes his night match with Tomic all the more interesting. Whether it ends against the young Australian or later this fortnight, it’s appropriate that his career should end where he won his lone major. Roddick had the misfortune of playing in the same era as Federer, as without the Swiss Maestro, he might have picked up a few more majors. But he’s been a remarkable steady performer throughout his career, helped the United States to a Davis Cup victory, and carried American men’s tennis on his shoulders for the better part of a decade. He has a lot to be proud of and should leave the game with no regrets. Hopefully we’ll see him involved in the game somewhere else down the road.

Crossroads

You know it’s a sign of just how far Wozniacki’s stock has plummeted when her opening round loss to 96-ranked Begu didn’t generate a lot of chatter. It certainly was a performance to forget for the former World No. 1. Hampered movement, unforced errors, and an inspired performance from her opponent all combined to make for a meek exit for the Dane. The loss prompted some to question if Wozniacki isn’t destined for a career path similar to that of Jankovic, but that’s jumping the gun, especially given her age. Wozniacki’s comments indicate she understands she needs to play bigger tennis, which she is capable of doing. Finding that right balance between aggression and defense will take time, but she’s got a good coach in Thomas Johansson at her side to make it happen. Her 2012 may end up being a wash, but let’s wait and see if she makes strides in 2013 before completing writing her off.

Rising Star

Chris Evert went so far as to say a “champion was born” in regards to Laura Robson’s defeat of Kim Clijsters at the US Open. It might be a bit too soon for that, but Robson is certainly looking more and more like she has top player potential. She’s always been on the cusp of big wins, like her tight tussle with Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2011. She recently hired Krajan to help get her over the hump, and it seems that partnership is already paying off with Robson scoring the big win to send the Belgian into retirement. Great Britain has been hungry for a champion, and they’d like more than just Murray to be vying for the big titles. Robson may just be the answer to their prayers.

Keep the Drama

There’s a reason “drama” is an Emmy category – people love it! There’s been plenty of it already in the early goings of the US Open, with several men mounting comebacks from 2-0 deficits. Hopefully the comebacks have discouraged the arguments for a best-of-three format at the majors, an idea that picked up steam thanks to the London Olympics. That best-of-five format is what creates the drama and also differentiates the majors from the other events on the calendar. And let’s be honest. More often than not, the players involved in those early five-set thrillers are not the players who are going to realistically be competing for the title, so the amount of gas they take out of the tank is somewhat irrelevant. Besides, for many of those players, those wins will constitute some of the fondest memories they have from their careers. In short, don’t mess with that tradition.

Filed Under: Lead Story, The Friday Five Tagged With: Andy Roddick, Caroline Wozniacki, Kim Clijsters, Laura Robson, tennis drama, US Open

Kim Clijsters – A farewell to one of the greats of the women’s game

August 31, 2012 by tennisbloggers

Kim Clijsters will retire after the US Open

By Ian Horne, editor of Live-Tennis.com and US Open Tennis Live Stream

A 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) defeat against Laura Robson marked the end of Kim Clijsters’ singles career on Wednesday night, much to the surprise of the US Open fans in attendance in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. There had been high hopes for the Belgian. One final swansong could have provided the icing on the cake for her outstanding professional career.
The fact that it wasn’t to be did nothing to take the gloss off of the Belgian’s achievements. There’s no shame in losing two tie-breakers against one of the rising stars of the WTA tour. Maybe a few years down the line we’ll be viewing Robson’s victory as the ushering in of a new era, a changing of the guard akin to Roger Federer’s five-set dismissal of Pete Sampras in the round of sixteen at Wimbledon 2001.
All this aside, when the US Open hype dies down and the dust settles on the final slam of the year, there will be so many positives to look back on from Clijsters’ career – or two careers, depending on your take. In Clijsters we had a WTA player who not only won fans and plaudits with her tennis, but also through her gracious and pleasant demeanour.
The Belgian appears to have been well-liked in the locker room. The announcement of her imminent withdrawal had provoked praise from countless players in the WTA and ATP, but also a sense of sadness that can only be seen as a natural response to the retirement of a player who for years has been one of the most popular stars of the game.
Clijsters possessed one of the best backhands in the WTA, and a ripping forehand that could devastate on a good day. As results demonstrate, there were many good days for the Belgian. Clijsters was also extremely sharp around the court. Even though injuries plagued her career, she was one of the best defensive players on the tour, with the ability to turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye.
Net play was another of Clijsters’ strengths, a talent that she honed by playing doubles between 2000-2003. Paired with Ai Sugiyama, Clijsters achieved a runner-up finish at Wimbledon in 2001, before the pairing won French Open and Wimbledon titles in 2003.
Clijsters’ talent was never in doubt, but she had to wait a long time before she could establish herself as one of the greats of the Open Era. Between 2001-2004 she finished as a runner-up in four slams, losing some memorable battles against Justine Henin. Her performances in these finals were disappointing, but she wasn’t to be denied.
In 2005, Clijsters got her hands on the the US Open title, starting a run of victories in New York that would only end in 2012. Whilst she didn’t compete in the 2006 and 2007 events, she won the title again on her 2008 return and successfully defended the title the following year. She missed 2011’s tournament too, making Robson the first player to beat her at Flushing Meadows since 2003.
When Clijsters backed up her 2010 US Open title by winning the 2011 Australian Open, she became the first mother in the Open Era to climb to the top of the rankings. Dubbed ‘Aussie Kim’ by the fans in Melbourne, Clijsters perhaps couldn’t have picked a better event in which to win her final slam.
Clijsters will be missed by tennis fans worldwide as she swaps the tour for family life. Still, few could begrudge her for making the decision, as she’s added so much to women’s tennis since making her debut in 1997. Kim, you will be missed.

Filed Under: Lead Story Tagged With: clijsters farewell, Kim Clijsters, last clijsters match, Laura Robson, US Open

Marion Bartoli comedy night at the US Open

August 30, 2012 by tennisbloggers

Marion Bartoli in action on Wednesday at the US Open

By David Kane, Special for Tennis Grandstand

If Caroline Wozniacki represents the proverbial tragedy mask, then Marion Bartoli, intentionally or otherwise, is at the US Open to provide a healthy dose of comic relief.
The early days of the year’s final Slam are filled with tension around the grounds; while the top seeds are blowing past under-ranked and overmatched opponents on Ashe, the magnitude of the moment seems that much greater on the smaller courts, which makes for some compelling drama. All players react to the resulting stress differently: Maria Sharapova puts her back to her opponents, Novak Djokovic will bounce the ball 20 or more times before a serve. Marion Baroli, already a standout with her two-fisted groundstrokes, will engage in a series of massive high jumps and a most intense game of shadow tennis before approaching the baseline to receive serve, all the while bobbing and weaving like a prize fighter.
Yes, Bartoli is taking the moment very seriously, but that doesn’t mean her unorthodox methods and physical comedy don’t provide a deflation in tension for fans that would otherwise be gripping their benches after a long day of tennis.
With a win over Romina Oprandi, Bartoli would book a spot in the third round, but more importantly, she would re-enter the top 10 at the expense of her tragic counterpart, Wozniacki. During the first set, it was apparent that the Frenchwoman was brutally aware of all the circumstances and subtext of the match. Besides wanting to get back with the game’s elite, Marion has something to prove at this tournament; she’s had mediocre Slam results in 2012 and has to be looking at the US Open, played on one of her best surfaces, as a golden opportunity.
Oprandi, a player who has struggled with injury for most of her career, arrived on the court tape-free for the first time in a while. As the match got underway, she tried to use her signature drop shot to keep Bartoli off balance, but to no avail. The Bartoli rituals were in full effect and her eyes were on stalks; as she wrapped up the first set 6-2, it was refreshing to see a player so determined and unafraid of the moment, even if the moment was taking place far from the stadium courts.
But Bartoli, for her cartoonish nature, is still very much human, who can be inspired to play unbeatable tennis during a Wimbledon semifinal just because she sees Pierce Brosnan in the stands, and one who can become distracted upon hearing shocking news. Court 11 may be metaphorically far from the stadiums, but is physically much closer, and we could all hear Kim Clijsters’ last singles match unfold with the help of the booming loud speaker. Suddenly, Bartoli was on the backfoot and Oprandi began to dominate.
Perhaps it sounds illogical, but it’s happened before, even to Clijsters herself; the Belgian wasn’t the same in a Wimbledon quarterfinal she had been dominating after the scoreboard announced Venus Williams’ shock loss to Tsvetana Pironkova. Whatever the reason, Bartoli’s unique rhythm had been severely interrupted, and things became just a little less comedic on Court 11 as Oprandi ran away with the second set 6-1.
Entering a third set always seems like a dicey proposition for someone whose unorthodox game and style translates to some questionable off-court training. But the Frenchwoman’s unshakable belief often makes up for any other shortcomings, and she was able to once again grind her way to victory, even if it took until 7-5 in the third. Match point was typical Marion, who couldn’t resist taking an exaggerated practice swing off between serves before blasting a forehand into the Oprandi backhand, provoking the error.
On behalf of fans everywhere, Marion, never change.
David Kane is an avid tennis fan reporting from the grounds of the U.S. Open. You can follow him on Twitter @ovafanboy.

Filed Under: Lead Story Tagged With: Caroline Wozniacki, funny tennis, Kim Clijsters, Maria Sharapova, Marion Bartoli, Novak Djokovic, romina oprandi, tennis comedies, unorthodox tennis game, US Open, Venus Williams

US Open: Day One by the numbers

August 27, 2012 by tennisbloggers

By Romi Cvitkovic

Day One of the US Open by the numbers:

51 – The number of minutes it took Sam Stosur to defeat Petra Martic, 6-1, 6-1 en route winning the first 19 points. That’s almost five straight games!
16 – The age of the youngest competitor, Victoria Duval, who lost to Kim Clijsters, 6-3, 6-1, but introduced her bubbly personality to the world.
0 – The number of second serve points (out of eight) that Alex Bogomolov, Jr. won in the first set against Andy Murray. He eventually lost 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.
2 – The number of games most people thought Donald Young would win against Roger Federer after only recently breaking his 17-match losing streak.
9 – The number of games Young actually won. Not bad.

Roger Federer overcomes Donald Young in straight sets to advance to the second round of the US Open

22 – The number of US Open night matches Federer has won.
0 – The number of US Open night matches Federer has lost.
3 – The surprising number of match points it took Federer to defeat Young.
9.63 – The number, on a scale of 1 to 10, of how good Jack Sock thought his second serve was in his win over Florian Mayer.
1 – The number of break points (out of six) that Petra Kvitova converted in the first set in her win over Polona Hercog, 7-6(6), 6-1.
92 – The percentage of first serves won in her defeat of Melinda Czink, 6-2, 6-2.
-22 – The winners-to-unforced errors differential for both Melanie Oudin in her loss to Lucie Safarova, 6-4, 6-0, and Sabine Lisicki in her loss to Sorana Cirstea, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
12 – The number of aces Mardy Fish hit in his three-set battle over Go Soeda, winning 7-6(3), 7-6(2), 6-3.
6 – The number of match points it took newly-minted American Varvara Lepchenko to finally close out the match over Mathilde Johansson, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
1 – The number of games Victoria Azarenka allowed her opponent Alexandra Panova to win in her  whipping of her, 6-0, 6-1.
87 – The percentage of first serve won by Fernando Verdasco in the second set during his win over Rui Machado, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
48 – The first serve percentage of Laura Robson in her win over Samantha Crawford, 6-3, 7-6(6).
60 – The length of the first set in the match that eventually saw Kristyna Pliskova upset Julia Goerges, 7-6(4), 6-1.
292 – The total number of points played in the 3-and-a-half-hour match where Tim Smyczek prevailed over fellow American Bobby Reynolds, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

Filed Under: Lead Story, Romi Cvitkovic Tagged With: Andy Murray, ATP Tennis, Kim Clijsters, Maria Sharapova, Melanie Oudin, Petra Kvitova, Roger Federer, Sorana Cirstea, tennis us open stats, us open results, US Open tennis

US Open Arthur Ashe Kids' Day featuring singer Carly Rae Jepsen and tennis stars Federer, Djokovic, Williams

August 26, 2012 by tennisbloggers

By Romi Cvitkovic

Saturday marked the annual US Open Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, and man, was it a party on court! Tennis players Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Mardy Fish, Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters were joined by some of entertainment’s hottest stars including Carly Rae Jepsen, The Wanted and Matthew Morrison. Olympian Missy Franklin also joined, dancing with Djokovic as they teamed up for pro/celebrity mixed doubles!
Enjoy some of the best photos from the event — including a lot of dancing by Djokovic, Fish and the ball kids, Carly Rae hitting some tennis balls, Morrison acting as a chair umpire, and plenty of laughs and high-fives!
And don’t miss this great video of a full-fledged flash mob of all the entertainers and athletes as they danced to Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.”

In case you missed the action or want to see more, tune into CBS this Sunday from 12-1:30PM ET for the full stadium show.
[nggallery id=71]

Filed Under: Lead Story, Romi Cvitkovic Tagged With: Andy Roddick, Carly Rae Jepsen, Kim Clijsters, Mardy Fish, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, tennis players dancing, The Wanted, us open arthur ashe kids day

Can Kim Clijsters add an Olympic medal to her list of career achievements?

August 1, 2012 by Lisa-Marie Burrows

By Lisa-Marie Burrows

Kim Clijsters will be hoping to continue her run at the Olympics. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Kim Clijsters has enjoyed an illustrious career in tennis – dampened by injuries, but nonetheless, she has enjoyed many successes on the court. She is a firm fan favourite, always enthusiastically supported wherever she competes and is popular with her fellow players. Could an Olympic victory tempt her to decide not to halt her career just yet, or could it be the perfect way for the former world No.1 to bow out of competitive tennis for the second time?
Kim Clijsters is a four-time Grand Slam champion, who made her final Wimbledon appearance in July after 14 years of competing as a junior and a senior at the event. This week she is back on the grass courts of the Olympics, representing Belgium and hoping to add an Olympic medal to her list of achievements and victories.
Clijsters admitted earlier this year that she is retiring for the second time due to her age and not for family reasons:

“I have no regrets. I’m too old to play the game that I want to play physically. It’s not for family reasons; it’s down to the physical side. I’ve put my body through enough strain and everything.”

It has been a tough 2012 for the 29-year-old, who missed the French Open due to a hip injury and battled to recover from an abdominal injury in time for Wimbledon, but this week she is proving that she is beginning to find her feet at the All England Lawn Tennis Club and would love to build on her semi-final appearances in 2003 and 2006.
Many would love to see her win an Olympic medal – a fitting way to remember her final year on Tour, to add her to many wonderful achievements during her career – and here are a few of those many moments she will undoubtedly cherish:
Winning her first Grand Slam title in 2005: Kim Clijsters won her first Grand Slam title in 2005 on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows in New York against Mary Pierce. This was the first time she had won a Grand Slam and it was her first appearance in a Grand Slam final since missing out on the trophy in 2004 in Australia. Clijsters had a difficult year in 2004 and was happy to have recovered so well after her operation to remove a cyst from left wrist, which saw her miss Wimbledon and the US Open the previous year.
Back-to-back US Open titles in 2009 and 2010: Clijsters has always felt very comfortable on the hard courts and in New York she found her feet and showed her best tennis during a year which proved to be a sensational comeback season for the Belgian. Clijsters won the US Open in New York in extraordinary fashion – she had only played three previous hard court events before entering the Grand Slam and participated as an unranked wildcard defeating Caroline Wozniacki in the final.
In 2010 Clijsters battled against a left and right foot injury, which forced her to withdraw from Roland Garros, but in August whilst fighting off her injury demons, the former world No.1 lifted the trophy at Flushing Meadows for the third time after defeating Vera Zvonareva in the final.
‘Aussie Kim’ happy to be crowned champion at the Australian Open: Kim Clijsters has always been fondly welcomed at the Australian Open and many of the Aussies accepted her as one of their own after her long relationship with Australian tennis player Lleyton Hewitt. She reached the finals in 2004 but was unable to lift the trophy, but after returning to competitive tennis once again, she finally got the Grand Slam win she so desperately seeked in Melbourne and ‘Aussie Kim’ was happily crowned champion.
After this year when Kim Clijsters eventually retires, it will be a sad day for her supporters, team and fellow players as her kind and sporting nature on and off the court will be missed. Right now though for Kim Clijsters, she will not be thinking about putting down her racquet for the last time, she will be completely focused on picking it up again tomorrow to continue her assault on the Olympics and the impending, final hard court season ahead.

Filed Under: Lead Story, Lisa-Marie Burrows Tagged With: Australian Open, Flushing Meadows, Kim Clijsters, Lleyton Hewitt, Mary Pierce, US Open, Vera Zvonareva, Wimbledon, wta tennis

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