Clijsters Wins Her First Austrailan Open Title

January 31, 2011 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Kim Clijsters won the fourth major title of her career and her first-ever Australian Open title as she defeated Li Na in Melbourne on Saturday, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Clijsters’s win ended Li Na’s Cinderella run at the Australian Open as she became the first Chinese player to ever reach the finals of a Grand Slam event. 

“The Chinese fans were prepared to express their feelings and shed their tears of excitement. We were just one step from victory,” China Central Television announcer Tong Kexin said Saturday. CCTV predicted that about 15 million people watched the match live on its sports channel.

In her post-match press conference, Clijsters hinted at retirement and confirmed that she’d be playing a restricted schedule in 2011-2012. 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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