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6/7/2001
Clijsters Stages Comeback, Ousts Henin
by Nyree Epplett
No12 seed Kim Clijsters won the battle of Belgium staged on Court Philippe Chatrier, Thursday, when she performed a miraculous comeback to triumph over countrywoman and No14 seed Justine Henin 2-6 7-5 6-3 and advance to the Roland Garros final.
Under dark Paris skies that produced some disruptive light rain throughout the encounter, the gritty Clijsters dug deep to recover valiantly from a seemingly insurmountable 2-6 2-4 deficit, advancing to the final where she will meet No4 seed Jennifer Capriati, who was victorious over top seed Martina Hingis late Thursday afternoon.
The self-confessed 'underdog' for this semi final, Clijsters is now looking forward to celebrating her 18th birthday on Friday in high spirits, after she watched her nervous opponent crumble at the mere thought of being two games shy of a berth in her first Grand Slam final.
"I don't think anyone expected me to play this well, especially on clay, because they didn't think clay was my best surface. I can't wish myself a better birthday than this. But I won't go out and party yet," said Clijsters.
The 19-year-old Henin was left to rue what might have been and to question the demons in her head that stopped what seemed like a sure-fire straight sets victory. She played a near-perfect first set, committing only six unforced errors (to Clijsters' 18) and moved her younger opponent around the baseline with a string of blistering groundstrokes. Henin broke the numerous baseline rallies up with a handful of clean, powerful backhand winners that left Clijsters stranded.
But Henin's penetrating backcourt attack went off the boil at 4-3 in the second, when she let more unforced errors creep into her game, and then double faulted to hand the No12seed the break back. Clijsters sensed at that point that she may have gained the psychological edge: "In the first set she was playing with a lot of confidence, playing too good for me. But I kept trying. I wasn't playing my best in that set but I wasn't playing bad. When I won that game at 4-2 I sensed that I had a chance to come back.
"I noticed she was getting a little tired and felt she was making some easy mistakes and was running a bit more. You always have a chance, even when you're match point down."
A more consistent Clijsters swung the match momentum back in her favor, clinched her easiest service game (holding to love) to leap ahead 5-4 and then broke Henin again at 6-5, taking the set with a winning backhand down the line that left no margin for error. The teenager pumped her fist high in the air, motioning to her entourage, including boyfriend Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the stands, and put her foot to the pedal.
Clijsters took control of the duel thereafter, closing out the third set in 33 minutes and the match in one hour, 51 minutes. She finished with 39 winners, but 52 unforced errors. Clijsters converted two out of four break point opportunities. Henin, although presented with ten break points, could only capitalize on three.
Said a bitterly disappointed Henin: "I think that I was playing almost perfect. I was on the point of doing something great. I led 4-2 in the second set, but was not playing my best tennis then. I stopped playing my game. Maybe I was afraid to win. Maybe I have a problem to conclude matches with Kim. Had it been another player I might have won 6-1 6-2.
The No14 seed refused to concede that the problem may have been too many matches, and in particular a lengthy doubles match the day before. "It was not a physical problem, it was in my head.
"At 15-40, 5-6 down, I realized that mentally I was becoming weak. At this point something changed. I made the mistakes. I was behind the baseline, slicing the ball and was not aggressive
"Everything can change in one point. Today is a lesson to me. I'm now aware of the problems that I have to solve to make progress."
Clijsters described the match as similar to the pair's last encounter, at Indian Wells in March, where Clijsters had also triumphed in three sets. "The only difference was that in Indian Wells I was nervous in the beginning. Here I felt good, and was hitting the ball very cleanly."
Joining Hewitt and Co. in the Belgian support box come finals day will be a number of the Belgian royal family, including Princess Matilda, who Clijsters is eager to meet. "I met the Prince the other day after my match so it will be good to see Princess Matilda. It's great. We hear that the whole of Belgium is upside down at the moment.
"But I still have to keep my feet on the ground. Once I'm out of the tournament. I'll have a party."
Capriati Meets Clijsters in French Final
PARIS (Ticker) -- Jennifer Capriati ignored a painful knee and Kim Clijsters disregarded a friendship Thursday, brushing aside opponents in ruthless fashion Thursday to reach the finals of the French Open.
On a cool, gray day in Paris, Capriati added to Martina Hingis' French Open misery as she methodically disposed of the world number one, 6-4 6-3, denying the Swiss another opportunity at the one Grand Slam missing from her collection.
"It is like I have been reincarnated...it is amazing," said Capriati. "I remember the last semifinals I was here 11 years ago I played against Monica (Seles). She put me in my place back then but it has been a long road since."
Capriati will face Kim Clijsters in Saturday's final. The 12th-seeded Clijsters will celebrating her 18th birthday on Friday on the heels of a dazzling 2-6, 7-5 6-3 comeback win over compatriot Justine Henin, becoming the first Belgian to play in a Grand Slam final.
Capriati, who made tennis history the last time she appeared in a semifinal at Roland Garros in 1990 becoming the youngest player to reach the final four of Grand Slam at 14 years old, immediately pounced on her Swiss opponent charging to a 4-1 lead in the opening set.
But with Hingis reeling under a barrage of punishing ground strokes, Capriati breathed new hope into the beleaguered Swiss's Grand Slam dream when she called a medical timeout to have the trainer examine her sore right knee.
"Maybe it was a little tendinitis...maybe caused by the cold. When the trainer massaged my knee and warmed it up it got a little better," Capriati said. "But at the end I just forgot about it. The pain went away."
When the fourth seed returned to the court, she looked unsure, favoring her right leg as Hingis moved in for the kill, running the American around the court.
Hingis kept up the pressure, breaking Capriati as she swept the next three games on the way to leveling the set.
Hingis broke at the start of the second set but Capriati, looking to add the French crown to the Australian Open title she won in January, quickly steadied herself, finally regaining control of the contest when she held serve at 3-3 and 0-40 down.
"I knew she wanted to win her first Roland Garros title and I wanted to win mine too," said Capriati, who jumped wildly, punching her fists in the air as Hingis' final shot sailed long. "Right now I just want to scream at the top of my lungs. I just want to jump out right now. I'm just like really excited, yeah.
"Just getting to the finals, not because of anything else, is an achievement in itself. This is the best tennis I've played and I'm being so consistent."
The victory adds another page to Capriati's inspiring comeback story.
After reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in 1992 and 1993, the pressures of the multi-million dollar contracts and sky-high expectations got to Capriati, leading to burnout and arrest on charges of shoplifting and possession of marijuana.
But over the last two years the 25-year-old American has undergone a remarkable renaissance, to the point that Hingis conceded afterwards that Capriati is currently the best player in the world.
"She beat me in the Australian Open final at the start of the year, now she is in the final again here," said Hingis. "She has beaten me and beaten both the (Williams) sisters so she has proved it. Here she's made the finals again, I'd say she's the hottest, most consistent player on the Tour.
"Today she just overwhelmed me, she just played a good match. I knew pretty much that this was almost the final. I think if I had beaten her I would have had a good chance to win the final."
Clijsters of course would differ with Hingis, believing she can give Belgium its first Grand Slam champion on Saturday.
As the match began it appeared it would be Clijsters, who would be in need of comforting as the 14th-seeded Henin swept through the opening set.
But Clijsters steadied herself in the second set and broke to go 4-3 and never looked back.
"When I won that game to go 4-3 I was still down but I felt she was making more easy mistakes," said Clijsters. "She had a very tough doubles match yesterday and of course she was a bit tired. I just kept trying. I wasn't playing my best tennis but I felt I had a chance to come back I felt I was getting closer."
-Alternative Press
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Clijsters Stages Comeback, Ousts Heninby Nyree EpplettCapriati Meets Clijsters in French FinalOn a cool, gray day in Paris, Capriati added to Martina Hingis' French Open misery as she methodically disposed of the world number one, 6-4 6-3, denying the Swiss another opportunity at the one Grand Slam missing from her collection. "It is like I have been reincarnated...it is amazing," said Capriati. "I remember the last semifinals I was here 11 years ago I played against Monica (Seles). She put me in my place back then but it has been a long road since." Capriati will face Kim Clijsters in Saturday's final. The 12th-seeded Clijsters will celebrating her 18th birthday on Friday on the heels of a dazzling 2-6, 7-5 6-3 comeback win over compatriot Justine Henin, becoming the first Belgian to play in a Grand Slam final. Capriati, who made tennis history the last time she appeared in a semifinal at Roland Garros in 1990 becoming the youngest player to reach the final four of Grand Slam at 14 years old, immediately pounced on her Swiss opponent charging to a 4-1 lead in the opening set. But with Hingis reeling under a barrage of punishing ground strokes, Capriati breathed new hope into the beleaguered Swiss's Grand Slam dream when she called a medical timeout to have the trainer examine her sore right knee. "Maybe it was a little tendinitis...maybe caused by the cold. When the trainer massaged my knee and warmed it up it got a little better," Capriati said. "But at the end I just forgot about it. The pain went away." When the fourth seed returned to the court, she looked unsure, favoring her right leg as Hingis moved in for the kill, running the American around the court. Hingis kept up the pressure, breaking Capriati as she swept the next three games on the way to leveling the set. Hingis broke at the start of the second set but Capriati, looking to add the French crown to the Australian Open title she won in January, quickly steadied herself, finally regaining control of the contest when she held serve at 3-3 and 0-40 down. "I knew she wanted to win her first Roland Garros title and I wanted to win mine too," said Capriati, who jumped wildly, punching her fists in the air as Hingis' final shot sailed long. "Right now I just want to scream at the top of my lungs. I just want to jump out right now. I'm just like really excited, yeah. "Just getting to the finals, not because of anything else, is an achievement in itself. This is the best tennis I've played and I'm being so consistent." The victory adds another page to Capriati's inspiring comeback story. After reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in 1992 and 1993, the pressures of the multi-million dollar contracts and sky-high expectations got to Capriati, leading to burnout and arrest on charges of shoplifting and possession of marijuana. But over the last two years the 25-year-old American has undergone a remarkable renaissance, to the point that Hingis conceded afterwards that Capriati is currently the best player in the world. "She beat me in the Australian Open final at the start of the year, now she is in the final again here," said Hingis. "She has beaten me and beaten both the (Williams) sisters so she has proved it. Here she's made the finals again, I'd say she's the hottest, most consistent player on the Tour. "Today she just overwhelmed me, she just played a good match. I knew pretty much that this was almost the final. I think if I had beaten her I would have had a good chance to win the final." Clijsters of course would differ with Hingis, believing she can give Belgium its first Grand Slam champion on Saturday. As the match began it appeared it would be Clijsters, who would be in need of comforting as the 14th-seeded Henin swept through the opening set. But Clijsters steadied herself in the second set and broke to go 4-3 and never looked back. "When I won that game to go 4-3 I was still down but I felt she was making more easy mistakes," said Clijsters. "She had a very tough doubles match yesterday and of course she was a bit tired. I just kept trying. I wasn't playing my best tennis but I felt I had a chance to come back I felt I was getting closer."
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