NEW YORK – The last time Kim Clijsters lost a match on the hard courts of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Roger Federer had yet to win the year’s final Grand Slam tournament.
This year, Federer is seeking his sixth straight US Open title. Clijsters is going for her second in a row, yet she’s not the defending women’s singles champion. That honor goes to Serena Williams.
On Wednesday, Clijsters increased her winning match streak at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to nine by eliminating 14th-seeded Marion Bartoli 5-7 6-1 6-2.
“I stayed focused, I stayed aggressive, and really worked out a game plan that beat her today,” Clijsters said. “I think that’s something that’s even more rewarding when you win a match like this.”
Clijsters captured her first Grand Slam singles crown in New York in 2005, then was forced to miss the 2006 US Open when she re-injured her left wrist. In 2007, the Belgium native retired from the sport, married an American basketball player and gave birth to a daughter. Now 26, Clijsters decided to return to the women’s tour earlier this year and is playing in only her third tournament since ending her retirement.
“It was a nice feeling to have in Cincinnati, Toronto, knowing that I was capable of beating some of those top 10 players again,” Clijsters said. “That was a good feeling to have because that was something that I didn’t know what it was going to be like out there playing those girls again.
“But I haven’t played the big ones yet, Venus (Williams), Serena, (Maria) Sharapova, (Elena) Dementieva. I haven’t played those girls yet. Hopefully I’ll give myself a shot at doing that here.”
The last time Clijsters lost on the hard courts in Flushing Meadows was to fellow Belgian Justine Henin in the 2003 title match. She then missed the tournament in 2004 after undergoing surgery on her left wrist. The following year, she finally won a Grand Slam tournament title by beating Mary Pierce in the final of the US Open.
Then came another injury and her retirement.
Bartoli wasn’t the only seeded woman to fell Wednesday.
Fourteenth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo was ousted by Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4 6-0; Russian Maria Kirilenko eliminated No. 12 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-4 2-6 6-4; American Vania King shocked No. 15 Samantha Stosur of Australia 7-5 6-4; and Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium upset No. 20 Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-1 6-3.
Clijsters’ win over Bartoli, while technically an upset, wasn’t unexpected. Clijsters, after all, had been ranked number one in the world in 2003, and despite her inactivity she still has the game to be one of the top players. Plus, she played – and beat – Bartoli in her first tournament back, at Cincinnati where she reached the quarterfinals.
“I think it’s still a bit early for me to say after three weeks how the depth is in women’s tennis,” Clijsters said. “On the other hand, having seen a lot of the results lately I do think that a lot of girls can beat a lot of top players. But I think the consistency is what’s lacking.
“I think the consistency is what makes you a top 10 player these days. You know, we can all play tennis. We can all hit the ball hard. There’s a lot better athletes out there these days in the lower-ranked category.
“But it’s just a matter of consistency. It’s the biggest key. That’s what sets you apart from being a top 10 player or a top 50 or a top 100 player.”
Federer moved a step closer to his sixth straight title with a hard-fought victory over Simon Greul of Germany 6-3 7-5 7-5.
Wednesday saw the final US Open appearance of Marat Safin, a surprise US Open champion in 2000. The Russian, who is retiring after this year, fell to Jurgen Melzer of Austria 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.
“It’s the end. It’s the last one,” Safin said. “Could have been better ending, but still OK. I’m looking forwards to afterwards my career, so I have no regrets. And I don’t care about losses anymore.”
Frenchman Fabrice Santoro, who also is retiring after this season, saw it differently.
“I love my sport,” said Santoro, who lost to 24th-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 6-4 6-3 6-3.
“I did it in this life for so many years. I was so happy to be on the court. You can’t do it if you’re not completely in love with your sport.
“Now I’m going to change, and I want to be home. I want to see my friends; I want to spend more time with my daughter. I want to live like normal life.
“But that’s the question: What is a normal life?”