Clijsters Wins in Front of Record Crowd
Kim Clijsters won an exhibition match in front of over 35,000 people as she defeated Wimbledon champion, Serena Williams, in straight sets.
The pair were using the match as a way to practice and maintain their fitness levels ahead of the US Open at the end of the summer. The crowd figures comfortably surpass the previous record and put an end to any doubts over the box office potential of the Belgian.
She looked in fine form although it was apparent that Williams had not brought her best game to the table. This is understandable when you consider that the pair have not had a huge deal of time off since Wimbledon and they would not want to pick up an injury for the sake of an exhibition.
Many have said they doubt whether Clijsters will be able to maintain this sort of form after recently becoming a parent for the first time. She's publicly stated that she wants more children and it could be that she is going for it right now before an early retirement.
On Her Day
On her day the Belgian can beat anyone and she was clearly more up for this match than her American opponent. The score of 6-3, 6-2 shows that Williams may have been not at all bothered about the match and was just using it as a way to stay fit and in some sort of form.
However, this does not take away any part of the victory from Clijsters who played very well. Her ground strokes looked very strong and her returns were very aggressive. She may have been out to make a point after she was dumped out of Wimbledon at one of the later stages.
Williams may feel as though she let her followers and her supporters down on this occasion. She seems like the sort of player that can get up for any match in front of a huge crowd but the point is that she seemed very much in post-Wimbledon mode. She was slow and looked very lethargic on her way around the court, which will have to improve.
Form
Both players are in decent form ahead of the US Open. Clijsters will look to bounce back in fashion after Wimbledon, and she has shown that she still has the game to beat the very best players in the world.
Williams will not be at all worried about this loss because her Grand Slam form is superb. She will up her game for more important matches and on this occasion she was just going through the motions.
The Belgian is also going to have to up her game because this is the only way that she can get into the later stages of the US Open. This win will give her confidence but it's very important to remember that this match had nothing riding on it.
Remember the context of this match because it will not mean a great deal in terms of a Grand Slam for either of these players. Be wary of backing Clijsters because, although she won on this occasion, she may not have the extra punch a player now needs to win a big tournament.
Williams will always be a favourite for a big game. She is four time Wimbledon champion and will be looking to secure a win in her own country. If you want to back her then do so. Make sure you take advantage of the straight sets wins that either of these players will have in the early rounds of the US Open. Indeed, Williams went through Wimbledon without dropping a single set.
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