Kim Clijsters penned another heart-warming chapter into her riveting US Open chronicles on Tuesday to set a date with budding Serena Williams, while Andy Murray ran out of ideas to prolong his stay in New York.
Murray had been tipped as one of the favorites to win his first major title but he scarcely resembled a player rated second-best in the world as he yelled, screamed and shouted his way to a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 last 16 defeat by Croatian Marin Cilic.
“Today I could have been better in pretty much every part of the game, whether it was mental or serve, forehand, backhand returns. I just struggled today. I played poorly,” Murray said.
The Briton’s abysmal performance left Cilic to face Juan Martin del Potro, in the quarter-finals. The Argentine sixth seed cantered to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Ferrero’s fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal looked vulnerable for one set before he ended the antics of French showman Gael Monfils 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
Nadal’s win was celebrated by an overzealous male fan who ran on to the court moments after the match ended and kissed the Spaniard’s cheek before being hauled away and arrested.
Nadal was unfazed.
“For me it wasn’t a problem,” the former No. 1 told reporters. “The guy was really nice. He was a great fan. He said, ‘I love you,’ and he kiss me.”
Another former top-ranked player added to the feel-good factor at this year’s championships.
Belgian mother-of-one Clijsters, who flew into New York with more toys stashed in her suitcase than rackets, showcased her lightning court speed as she dispatched China’s Li Na 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals.
Next up for Clijsters, who needed a wildcard to play here as she does not even own a ranking yet, will be three-time champion Williams.
Yesterday’s result
• La New Bears 13, Brother Elephants 5
Today’s games
• Sinon Bulls v Uni-President Lions
(Tainan, 6:30pm)
• Brother Elephants v La New Bears
(Chengching Lake, 6:30pm)
The US second seed has been doing the rounds in New York promoting her autobiography but conserved enough energy to surge past Italian world No. 10 Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 6-3.
Looking forward to her match with Clijsters, Williams said: “She’s such a great person. I wish only the best for her but obviously not in the next match.”
“Initially I was [surprised with her comeback] but a couple of weeks ago I knew she was someone to watch out for,” she said.
While many tennis fans are wondering how Clijsters — a 26-year-old woman who has been out of action for over two years — can create so much havoc at a Grand Slam, men’s world No. 1 Roger Federer had an easy explanation.
LIKE RIDING A BIKE
“It’s like riding a bike; once you know how to ride a bike, you never forget that,” said the new father of twins.
“That’s why I’m not that surprised. I think it’s a beautiful story. It’s nice that she hasn’t lost the love for the game. Going out of the game at 23, that’s for me just shocking. It’s nice to see her back in the game,” he said.
Federer and the fans may be delighted to see Clijsters back but her vanquished rivals are unlikely to agree.
After taking down French 14th seed Marion Bartoli and world No. 3 Venus Williams in previous rounds, Li was the latest to be on the receiving end of the Clijsters masterclass.
No longer bogged down by the litany of injuries that forced her out of the game in 2007, the new incarnation of Clijsters described her amazing run to the last four as “wow.”
However, just 15 months ago the thought of becoming the first mother to win a major since Evonne Goolagong in 1980 had not even entered her head.
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