Kim Clijsters defeats Sam Stosur to reach US Open semis
It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win nonetheless.
Kim Clijsters is now just two more wins from defending her US Open title, with 43 unforced errors unable to prevent the second seed securing a quarter-final victory over world No. 6 Sam Stosur.
The blustery conditions on Arthur Ashe Stadium proved tough to handle for both players, with Stosur making 36 unforced errors of her own as the Australian failed to capitalise on her chances of creating an upset victory.
Both players too had delivered serving performances that they’d probably rather forget, with Clijsters broken eight times and Stosur seven over the three set duration of the match. Seven of those breaks occurred in the 34 minute final set, where it was Clijsters who secured the first hold.
It was to prove a decisive moment in the match, and Clijsters eventually secured her place in the semis with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 scoreline, losing her first set for the tournament and in four career matches against the Australian.
“I felt that I was really reading her serve well in the return games,” Clijsters said post-match. “I felt I was getting into her backhand well, and, yeah, just made her go for some errors.
“Obviously today was a tough, tough opponent, difficult conditions, as well...She doesn't give you a lot of rhythm and she doesn't give you the usual kind of shots that you kind of expect,” the defending champion said of her difficulties in putting the French Open runner-up away.
And while Clijsters admits she hasn’t been serving at her best throughout the tournament, she’s happy with other aspects of her game.
“Throughout this whole, say, ten days now I feel that tennis-wise, I feel that my groundstrokes have gotten better,” Clijsters said.
The Belgian’s win sets up a semi-final match against Venus Williams, who maintained her perfect (now 8-0) record against Francesca Schiavone with a 7-6(5), 4-6 quarter-final win.
While in another match completed in windy conditions Williams’ unforced errors outstripped her 23 winners by 10, she was still able to hold off the French Open champion in a one hour and 54 minute match.
The 30-year-old’s run to the final four is all the more remarkable for the fact that before the US Open she hadn’t played a competitive match since her quarter-final exit from Wimbledon, after suffering a knee injury during the summer.
Indeed, this is the first time Venus, the US Open champion in 2000 and 2001, has reached the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows since 2007.
And she’s not done yet either.
“I want to be in the final, because then obviously it's just one more step [winning the title],” Venus said, adding with a smile, “But I'm just focused on the semis, and I don't get too excited unless the tournament is over.”
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