PHOTO ALBUM: FEEL GOOD KIM CLIJSTERS WINS 2009 US OPEN

by freakyfrites on September 13, 2009 · 13 Comments · in Clijsters, Featured, US Open, Wozniacki, WTA

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES SPORT TENNIS)

Kim Clijsters won the US Open on Sunday night, defeating Caroline Wozniacki: 7-5, 6-3.

She was playing in her third tournament since coming off of a two year maternity leave. She was unranked, unseeded, and “defending” her title from 2005, the only major she’d ever won. After defeating both Williams sisters and a total of 5 seeds along the way, she became only the second wild card in history to win a Major title (the other being Goran Ivanisevic at Wimbledon in 2001.) Clijsters is also the first mom to win a major in 29 years and her toddler daughter was “watching” her performance in the stands. Oh, and I hear Kimmie is a pretty nice person, too.

Yep, that’s a feel-good story! Let’s enjoy!

My favorite exchange from her post-match presser:

Q. If 18 months ago we called you in the hospital and said, Guess where you’re going to be in a couple of years, what would you have said?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I would have gone click. (laughter.)
No, yeah, until the start of this year, that’s when it came back. So 18 months ago or 18 and a half months ago, tennis wasn’t even on my mind at all, you know. I was just a new mom and just going through those experiences, as well, which is a lot of fun.
But, you know, yeah, no, I would have definitely hung the phone on you. Sorry.

Hey, maybe she’s not so nice, after all! Threatening to hang up on reporters. But at least she apologized for her imaginary behavior.

Back to the feel-good stuff. As if tears of joy weren’t enough, we also have Clijsters embracing her husband, Brian Lynch, and sharing the moment with her daughter, Jada. And a composed Wozniacki grinning and bearing it.