An Interview With: Kim Clijsters (after her US Open semi-final 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 victory over Venus Williams)

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you talk about the backhand topspin lob and your decision to hit that shot there?

KIM CLIJSTERS: Um, I mean, I thought as long as I try, keep trying, I’ll have to make one. Because I think all of the ones I tried before she got to, so I think there were two there that were really important, which was the one where, the one she got to, the one that dropped in and I finished off with the forehand winner down the line. Then the next one was obviously the probably most important one where I broke. Yeah, I mean, you know, I don’t know. I mean, it’s instinct when you decide to do that, and it worked. I mean, it worked. It was an important point, and I’m happy to get through.

Q. Were you thinking about the wind on that shot? Were you thinking it might sit up in the wind a little bit? Read more »

An Interview With Vera Zvonareva (after she reached her US Open final with a 6-4 6-3 victory over the top seed Caroline Wozniacki. She will meet Kim Clijsters in the final).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was the key to your victory today?

VERA ZVONAREVA: Um, I think it’s the same probably as the previous match, very similar. It’s the right balance between being patient and being aggressive. You know, with those windy conditions you have to play sometimes ugly, you know. You don’t have to expect to play your best tennis. That’s what I did well. I was not expecting to play my best tennis, but, you know, I was trying to be patient when I needed, and step up when I got the chance. Read more »

Her name is Nadezhda. HOPE in Russian.  Is this her last chance for a first slam title? Nadia Petrova has been showing some powerful tennis at this year’s Australian Open.  She destroyed US Open champion Kim Clijsters 6-0 6-1 in the third round, upset third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round and is now targeting former world No.1 Justine Henin in the quarter-final.

Can she do it?

(photo: wtatour.ru)

Kim Clijsters about her stunning loss 6-0, 6-1 against Nadia Petrova at Australian Open.

The full interview after the cut. Read more »

Check out Serena William’s tweets during the last 24 hours. You be the judge! What do you think?

“If I could, I would take this f… ball and shove it down your f… throat,” a statement that resulted in a point penalty on match point at the US Open where Serena Williams lost her semi-final match against Kim Clijsters. 

You can’t say this to ANYONE, Serena, no matter who you are!

I am not surprise.

When asked if she should apologize to the lineswoman, Serena said, “An apology? For what? How many people yell at linespeople? “Players, athletes get frustrated. I’m sorry, but a lot of people have said a lot worse.”

True indeed. “Can’t spell DYNASTY without NASTY.” A message Serena communicated “through” her T-shirt which she wore  at her media conference after her third round win.

Lost in the Serena’s drama was Clijsters’ significant victory. It was only her third tournament after 2½ years in retirement. The 26-year-old Belgian became the first mother to reach a Grand Slam final since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won Wimbledon 1980. She will be playing against Caroline Wozniacki for the US Open title.

Kim Clijsters is back, and my guess is that she has been missing the interaction with her fans around the world. She is quite successfully using many Web 2.0 tools to stay in touch with her fans. Here is how you can read, hear, and watch more about the Belgian star. And most importantly, the information is quite intimate since it’s coming directly from Kim:-) For Kim Clijster’ Web 2.0 presence, visit her redesigned website, become a fan on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and watch her YouTube channel, where in her recent posting she explains the strange mark on her face that many of you have probably noticed at the US Open.

“The desire is back.” Words that many tennis fans wanted to hear. Former world No.1 Belgian Kim Clijsters confirmed today the circulating speculations that she is preparing to return to competitive tennis almost two years after retiring at just 23 years old due to injuries.

“I intend to play in the US Open and almost certainly in the tournaments at Cincinnati (early August)- my first official tournament back - and Toronto,” she said.

Clijsters is married to American basketball player Brian Lynch and gave birth to a daughter in 2008.

(Photo: AFP)