11/4/2000
Kournikova Non-Winner for Another Week
Anna Kournikova lost her composure and a
chance to win her first tour singles title when she was beaten in
straight sets Saturday by upcoming 17-year-old Belgian Kim
Clijsters.
Kournikova, who slammed her racket against the court in
frustration, lost the first set of their semifinal match at the
Sparkassen Cup in just 20 minutes. The unseeded Clijsters, who has
charged up the rankings to No. 31 in less than two years, wound up
a 6-2, 6-3 winner.
Clijsters will face seventh-seeded Elena Likhovtseva of Russia,
who reached her first final of the year by beating top-seeded
Nathalie Tauziat of France 6-2, 6-4.
"I know she was nervous and wasn't happy with her play. That
just increased my confidence," Clijsters said of the victory over the third-seeded Kournikova.
The 19-year-old Kournikova, ranked 10th in the world, was
playing in her seventh semifinal of the year.
"I just didn't get into the match today. I never found my
rhythm," said the visibly disappointed Kournikova, whose parents
were watching from the stands. "I'm not surprised I lost to Kim.
She played very well."
Clijsters is the youngest player ever to win twice in her first
nine events on the tour.
Kournikova broke the serve of the Belgian player just once, to
pull even at 3-3 in the second set. But she dropped her next
service match when a forehand shot flew long, and soon she was out
of the $535,000 event.
"I'm just tired. I've played so many tournaments this year,"
Kournikova said.
Clijsters, who already has beaten numerous top-10 players,
constantly teed off on Kournikova's second serve and attacked the
Russian's forehand until it flew long or into the net.
"I played tactically very well," Clijsters said. "It's good
to hit to her forehand because it gets shaky sometimes."
-Associated Press
--From Espn.com
~Clijsters City
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