Kim Clijsters v. Li Na | 2011 Australian Open

[Esth1996]

kim loves to watch her racket after finish a round

[shohsanam97]

Kim ! you are amazing!

[petronije1001]

Clijsters held her nerves, but anyway, this is what I call a gifted match! Shame for Li on the 4th mp!

[CrimsonKing589051]

...and also Sharapova! Forget her, another definite contender.

[kljMN2]

If Li Na doesn't get her nerves in big matches under control, I don't see her winning a 2nd Slam...

[StewNWT]

augh I can't believe you left out the 3rd point of that final game, it showcased Kim's glorious BH curling away from Li Na

did the braindead announcer really say "AUSSIE KIM IS NOW.....AUSSIE KIM!'  ???

[DaveTennisX3]

@StewNWT I didn't include it because Li Na returned the shot and almost hit a winner, so I didn't think it was worth including. Kim has hit much better angled backhands than the one you're mentioning.

[wujumasteryi]

the ppl so far that i think can beat her is li na or petra kvitova

[suddenlyitsobvious]

...Capriati, Davenport, Pierce or Vaidisova on one of their good days...

[suddenlyitsobvious]

Solid enough match from the both of them but nothing exceptional and not too interesting. Seems Li basically choked after winning the first set and she could have won has she been just a bit more daring...

I know Clijsters has won 4 slams now, has exceptional retrieving abilities and very solid technical skills but it seems hard to conceive of her as a 'great' champion and I don't think she could have beaten Sharapova, either Williams sister, Hingis, Seles or Justine or even...

[CrimsonKing589051]

@suddenlyitsobvious In fact, she has a winning head to head on Sharapova, Hingis, Venus W, Henin, Pierce, Vaidisova, Dav.enport. But though she won all her slams on her comeback, she has not truly played at the same level as she used to before.

[suddenlyitsobvious]

@CrimsonKing589051

It has gotten 'easier' and less significant to win a slam today in women's tennis, the matches aren't remotely as interesting and high-level as they were 10 years ago.

I know she's had a lot of wins against top players -which is why I expresly specified 'on one of their good days'. Sharapova has had many slumps of form/injury, Vaidisova was erratic, Davenport getting older...But when they played well!

That Woz is N° 1 today sums it up nicely...

[CrimsonKing589051]

@suddenlyitsobvious But she has played plenty of matches against some of those players, so it may not have been only on account of inconsistency from rivals. She had a good game but not the best serve and was not quick enough on court. Serena owned the head to head on her comfortably. Yep, Woz is no.1 :(...but not for much longer, it seems! :D

[kljMN2]

@CrimsonKing589051 : Well, Wozniacki is in the quarters now so she had a good shot at keeping #1.,,, I don't think Wozniacki winning the Australian Open is that out of the question...

[CrimsonKing589051]

@kljMN2 But she has generally fared well in the first week of a slam. It's the business end that trips her. Potential winners left in the draw are Serena, Azarenka, Clijsters, Kvitova....I cannot yet see Wozniacki finding a way past them, that is, the ones she will meet in these last 3 matches. Let's see but even today, she didn't attack the short balls enough and relied more on her ability to get a lot back into play.

[JordanjamesX]

@suddenlyitsobvious I agree it was tougher for Clijsters to win slams when she was young the competition was mentally stronger and more solid. Now anyone can be number one look at Wozniacki a player that was number one for two years yet hasn't been in a slam final since 2009! Clijsters won her slams because of the open space and lack of depth in the women's game. Clijsters is a solid talent but her slam victories not as remarkable had she done them before 2009.

[orbitalwarrior]

@JordanjamesX Blablabla. Clijsters should have had three slams before her retirement, she just had bad luck against Capriati, and there were some bad calls on crucial points in the 2004 aus open final, that took the advantage away from Clijsters. She defeated Venus & Serena for the 09 US, defeated Venus again in 10, so she has proven she can win slams beating great players.

[TamaChanKi]

@orbitalwarrior Lol...kim was a decent player before her retirement but she got lucky even winning 1 slam. 2005 was when Henin was injured, Serena and Venus basically away from the scene, Davenport getting old and playing unstable tennis (good one day bad the next)...Kim really should have won 0 slams. and as for the bad calls kim got...so many players get bad calls every game, but they don't challenge on everything and they don't hawk eye on every shot, it all balances out.

[orbitalwarrior]

@TamaChanKi That's probably why she beat Venus in the QF and Sharapova in the SF... how lucky she was. For the bad call/challenge part: Serena also lost the match against Capriati because of bad calls (I wouldn't push it that far that the errors in the 04 AO final were as bad, but still), and a bad call can throw the best players off balance. 1:27 "Clijsters has callenged only once during the tournament" Kim never challenges if she isn't sure, and certainly doesn't to disturb her opponent.

[wozniacki15]

comeback clijsters better than ever the tour needs you!!!!!

[tennis89insomniac]

ahh Kim I wanna cry T T Congratulations !