Kim Clijsters Beats Vera Zvonareva, To Play Li Na In Australian Open Final

Tennis FanHouse:

Kim Clijsters defeated Vera Zvonareva in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 at the Australian Open on Thursday to advance into her second consecutive Grand Slam final. The third-seeded Clijsters dominated play from the outset and won the match in just 73 minutes.

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Comments

[JBoy]

05:26 AM on 01/28/2011

Hard to lose when you don't make mistakes...she was awesome.

[verycold]

02:11 PM on 01/27/2011

I am an avid tennis fan.  I know the game well because a family member played withe the national US team.  So I would like to make a few comments.

It is RARE in tennis, an  individual sport prone to huge egos, depression,  and multiple injuries.  I love tennis, but it is very hard on the players in every way possible.  It is a lonely sport.  To have somebody like Kim Clisters that is very well liked by her peers, has a complete life outside of tennis, and has stayed healthy is so rare and should be applauded.  She is a gem.  I wish there were more like her. 

A few years ago, she was on a flight from Canada back to the US after winning a tournament.  A family member that does play tennis just happened to sit next to her on that plane.  The family member didn't recognize her at all.  I am sure Kim was chuckling since she never revealed who she was to this person.  They just chatted about all sorts of things never once talking about tennis.  As they de-boarded the plane, Kim and this person in my family came out into the public waiting area only to be greeted by flashing bulbs.  It took a few minutes for this person to realize who Kim was since the media was yelling her name.  She just smiled, and acted like it was no big deal as they took off for different directions. 

With regards to Woz, I feel a lot of sympathy for her because the press, many in the biz are finding it sport to bash her because she doesn't have the game they wish she had.  It was sort of like that for Michael Chang the human backboard.  She is a young person doing her best and reached #1 because of her hard work and determination.  I once knew a top 10 player that was around the same age, that literally had a breakdown because the media and the big picked on her about her weight.  She was a gorgeous girl, but struggled to stay slim.  All the bashing killed her spirit and her game. 

Think about the words you use imagining that Woz was your own daughter.  I am ashamed the commentary has been very harsh  during this Open on her and it most likely has already had a negative impact on this young woman.  Seriously, this is a very, very hard sport.

[okakura]

03:38 PM on 01/27/2011

Wonderful post; fanned.

[chaucer1]

10:49 AM on 01/27/2011

I was pleased to see Woz, the human backboard, lose. While she's lovely to look at, her type of game sets women's tennis back years and years.

[okakura]

03:41 PM on 01/27/2011

Someone who wins as much as Woz does isn't setting the sport back one bit; she's merely doing the best with the tools she has.

That said, Li Na is a dangerous shot maker that you've got to knock out when she gives you the chance. Woz just doesn't have the firepower to accomplish that.

[emerywood]

10:35 AM on 01/27/2011

Tennis is not like contract bridge. There is not much luck involved in this game. Li Na is a very tough
cookie who tries her best in every shot. She sort of reminds me of Michael Chang in his best days.
To beat Clijster, she needs a bit of luck and I am rooting for her. If she wins, there will be another generation of woman players coming from China like the Russian girls and that is a good thing for women tennis.