Kim Clijsters settled many scores with her impressive 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over first-time Grand Slam finalist Li Na. Having persistently disappointed at majors other than the U.S. Open (where she's won three titles), the No. 3 seed demonstrated that she can win elsewhere. A slow starter as a Grand Slam champ (Clijsters lost four Grand Slam finals before she won her first), Clijsters had never toughed out a big match, not even in Gotham, where her wins were all straight-set blowouts. But tonight she was all fire and steel, grit and heart as she became the first woman in nearly two decades to lose the first set of the Australian Open final yet come back to win.
Three major factors were in play tonight from around the middle of the second set, the point at which Clijsters began to turn around the match. Up to that point, she seemed content to play into the hands—and sensibility—of her challenger, engaging in baseline blasts. But then Clijsters began to mix it up, adding some looping forehands as well as off-pace slice to the mix. At the same time, Li began to lose her focus, allowing various ambient components, including crowd enthusiasm and shutterbugs, to distract her. The third critical element was Li’s slowly mounting fatigue, which probably was as much nervous as physical.
Clijsters charged out of the gates, winning eight consecutive points to build a 2-0 first-set lead. But the first point of the third game (Clijsters serving) produced a long rally that ultimately jump-started Li’s game, and from that point on it was a multi-dimensional, entertaining struggle. If points tended to end in errors rather than winners, it was because both women threw caution to the wind and refused to wait for the error from her opponent or the opportunity to hit a safe winner. If this was another of those WTA break-a-thons, it was because neither lady has an exceptional serve, so each one was vulnerable to the predations of her aggressive opponent. What does it tell you that despite all those breaks (13 total), there was no choking to speak of in this match?
The meat of the match was the first four games of the second set, after Li broke Clijsters with a running cross-court forehand winner to clinch the first. Li seemed to have Clijsters on the ropes. The Belgian played aggressive tennis but in the most passive manner, reacting to Li's initiatives rather than taking it from her. Serving first in the second set was a great advantage that Li could not capitalize upon, as she frittered away a 40-15 lead and ultimately surrendered the game with one of her rare double faults. Although Clijsters would be unable to hold the next game, she had managed to slow down the Li express. She also began to see the value of avoiding a hitting contest with Li. The women battled through another pair of breaks. In retrospect, they seemed to soften up and tire Li.
Li was the first to hold in the second set, but she did so only once. And after a Clijsters hold for 3-3, the Belgian struck to break again for 4-3. This time, she took care of her next service game, and it proved the kiss of death for Li's hopes. With her hopes and focus coming apart, Li grew impatient, appeared tired, and lost her way. Playing superb defense and working on Li's flagging patience, Clijsters served out the second set and jumped to a 2-0 lead in the third set. She was never in danger from that point on.
—Pete Bodo