|
 |
News |
 |
|
| |
Email this article | 
Print This Page |
| |
Mauresmo wins second title in Antwerp |
| |
2/21/2006 8:02:29 AM |
| |
.jpg) Amelie Mauresmo defeated Kim Clijsters in the Proximus Diamond Games final in Antwerp. The reigning champion of last year again took the title and a bigger chance to win the €100.000 golden racket. After the match, she said she would come back next year and try to bring it home with her. The Frenchwoman needed three sets to outplay Kim Clijsters. Mauresmo defeated the Flemish favourite after an hour and fifty minutes of play, 3-6, 6-3 and 6-3. The No.2 of the world defeated the No.1 of the world. Mauresmo will play in Dubai next week to gain points in an attempt to take over Clijsters No.1 ranking if she reaches the final. Mauresmo was the first Frenchwoman to hold the No.1 rank earlier in October 2004 for a total of five weeks.
In the first set Clijsters, who played in Antwerp for the fourth time, took a 3-1 lead after she broke Mauresmo’s service game, and she never let that break get away from her. Neither player faced break point against them after the fourth service game. Clijsters won the first set 6-3 in 34 minutes.
The second set showed a much stronger Mauresmo and a little less accurate Clijsters. When Clijsters broke Mauresmo in third game, the Belgian hero was re-broken in the fourth service game. Mauresmo broke again in the sixth game. Clijsters hit a double fault for deuce, and a ball wide to give Mauresmo advantage. Again, she hit a double fault, and Mauresmo broke for a 4-2 lead. That was just enough to take the second set, 6-3.
“She stopped missing her shots,” said Clijsters about the difference between the first and the second set. “I was getting tired as well. The fatigue symptoms do not show just like that. It is building up in your body slowly during the match. Long matches are normally no problem, but I did not have a good preparation. I did get my basic training but that is not sufficient with tennis; you will need more interval practise to build up stamina.”
Just like in the second set, Clijsters lost her service game to Mauresmo in the third game. The Belgian was somewhat irritated when the baseline judge made a dubious call. Clijsters lost focus and was trailing 30-40 and hit a double fault on break point.
With this break in her advantage, Mauresmo played almost flawless, and Clijsters could not force a break point against Mauresmo’s service games. In the ninth game, with the Belgian trailing 5-3, Clijsters started her service game with a double fault, followed by hitting balls long. Mauresmo broke for the game, the set and the match on love-40 after one hour and 50 minutes of play.
Clijsters said she didn’t play her best tennis today and make clear that is what you need to do when you play a player like Mauresmo.
“She is a fit player. She has grown a lot mentally as well, and what I like about her is that she enjoys life outside tennis as well,” Clijsters said about her French opponent.
“I am going to clean my house, and walk the dogs, and work on my physical condition.
“I will go to Indian Wells, Miami, and later I will play the Fed Cup. I don’t have any other plans. They ask me to go to Dubai every year, but I don’t feel like playing there. This period in the season is tough enough already. I always go to the tournaments that make me feel happy. They offer me nice hotel rooms in Dubai but that’s not important to me,” the Belgian said about her schedule in the following weeks.
“It's understandable I ruined the Belgians party,” Mauresmo said with a big smile, “but I was very pleased with my own party.
“I felt more comfortable. Technically I played better tennis that earlier this week.
“I will go to Dubai next week, but I am not bothered by gaining a possible number one position when I reach the final in Dubai. It is not on my mind at all. I know that I will be tired over there.
“After winning in Antwerp again, I will certainly come back next year and try to win a third time and bringing home the golden racket,” Mauresmo said after winning the Proximus Diamond title for the second time in a row.
|
| |
www.teamwta.com |
news |
| |
Email this article | 
Print
This Page
|
|
 |
| |
|
| Upcoming Events |
 |
|
| Upcoming Sports |
 |
|
| Featured Links |
| |
|
|
|
