Clijsters stays in comfort zone and wins
Belgian Kim Clijsters defeated unseeded Italian Maria Elena Camerin during the Wimbledon opening round, with a score of 6-0, 6-3. This was the first Wimbledon victory for Clijsters in the Singles Ladies’ tournament in the last four years. Powering through Camerin with her serve unbroken, Clijsters defeated the Italian in a mere 65 minutes.
Back this year as the number eight seed, Clijsters was aggressive on the grass court and set the pace throughout the match. She pounded through six games without a reply from Camerin in a gaping 24 minutes. Camerin did not attempt to disguise her frustration with her lack of results.
All aspects of Clijsters' game worked to her advantage. On her first attempt, the Belgian broke Camerin's serve in the opening set with a storm of ground strokes. Taking the lead at 2-0, she did not lose a game in the entire opening set. Her confidence high, Clijsters ran Camerin all over the court throughout the entire match.
Winning a total of 65 of the match's points, compared to only 35 points from the Italian, Clijsters gained 20 winning points, while Camerin was able to deliver only six. Although at 28 years of age, Camerin does have experience, she has only garnered one victory over a top seeded player in 2004, defeating Anastasia Myskina. That same year she achieved the highest ranking of her career at the 41 spot. Her ranking has slid quite a long way since that time, with her current seeding floating at the 120 mark.
In fact, for every single one of her Wimbledon appearances during the last five years, Camerin has lost in the first round. In contrast, it has been over ten years since Clijsters has faliled to jump over the first round hurdle at a Grand Slam event. However, Camerin does have a fighting spirit, and she made a display of it during the second set of the match with Clijsters.
Camerin did show commitment and a sense of adventure during the match, winning a couple points here and there, even being brought to her knees at one point during a rally. Aided by an error from Clijsters, Cameron discovered some confidence, and was able to salvage a handful of points. At 3-4 in the set, Camerin had a critical opportunity, saving the break point three times, and displaying a powerful backhand down the line. However, she began to lose her endurance during the fourth break point from Clijsters, and was unable to save it. The exhausted Italian gave way as Clijsters proceeded to serve out to love and into a sure victory into the next round.
Clijsters has gained the respect of her colleagues as well as the media following her return to tennis in August 2009. Having announced her retirement in 2007, Clijsters went on to win the US Open only a month after her official come- back to the game.
Nevertheless, she was met with inquiries regarding her inconsistent performance and her health as she entered Wimbledon on Monday.
Injuring her foot late April in a Fed Cup match, Clijsters won at Brisbane in January, yet losing in the third round at the Australian Open against Nadia Petrova.
Cljsters regained her form in April by claiming the third title since coming back into the game, and defeating Venus Williams at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. An injury on her left foot kept her sidelined off the court from late April until just last week.
Granted that Clijsters continues to perfect her backhand, and strengthen her play at net, her victory over Camerin could be the first step towards claiming a spot in her first ever Wimbledon final.
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