Her daughter Jada cradled in one arm and a silver trophy tucked under the other, Kim Clijsters proved motherhood and sporting excellence can go hand-in-hand when the Belgian won the US Open title on Sunday.
Never before had a curly haired 18-month-old toddler stolen the show on Arthur Ashe Stadium, but this was no ordinary day at Flushing Meadows.
It was a day when Belgian wildcard Clijsters beat Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 6-3 to become the first mother to win a grand slam title since Evonne Goolagong achieved the feat almost three decades ago — at Wimbledon in 1980.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“We tried to plan her naptime a little bit later so she could be here today. It’s the greatest feeling in the world, being a mother,” a glassy-eyed Clijsters told the cheering crowd after her heart-tugging comeback win at the hardcourt major.
Wozniacki, who had been bidding to become the first Danish woman to win a grand slam singles title, said: “She’s such a great girl. Unfortunately she beat me today. She played a great match and deserved this trophy.”
A journey that began with the Belgian taking baby steps back into top flight tennis only last month — following a two-year sabbatical — came full circle in just 35 days as she claimed her second US Open prize.
“Amazing. For her to have this incredible run is fantastic. This is a great story for women’s tennis, that’s for sure,” said Roger Federer, a new father of twins, who was to face Juan Martin del Potro in the men’s final yesterday.
Federer relied on a touch of magic to make sure he was still on target to set a modern era record of winning six successive Open titles.
The Swiss top seed, with his back turned to the net, conjured an eye-catching crosscourt winner from between his legs to bring up match point as he beat Novak Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 7-5.
Del Potro pulled off the greatest win of his life when he crushed Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 to reach his first major final but instantly knew he had turned dream wrecker by denying Flushing Meadows a Federer-Nadal final.
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