[KIM ] Clijsters aims to make one more memory
感謝上一篇leetaka大的新聞
以下是來自USA TODAY另一篇
有點長大家慢慢看囉
NEW YORK – For Kim Clijsters, the U.S. Open is scattered with positive vibes.
"It's very hard to pick," Clijsters, 29, said recently when asked about her
best moments in New York.
She won her maiden Grand Slam title here in 2005. Four years later, she
captured a second championship after a 2½-year layoff to get married and
have a child, becoming the first mother since Evonne Goolagong Cawley to
hoist a Grand Slam trophy. She then backed it up in 2010 with a third New
York crown.
Along the way, she's battled and beaten most of her main rivals, from Venus
and Serena Williams to Maria Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport. She hasn't
tasted defeat since a loss in the final to fellow Belgian Justine Henin in
2003.
"I have a lot of memories," Clijsters says.
Does she have space for one more in the final tournament of her career?
The daughter of a national soccer star from the quiet Flemish-speaking town
of Bree, Clijsters has always clicked in the USA. Seventeen, or 40%, of her
41 career titles have come on North American soil. She married an American,
basketball player Brian Lynch. She spends several weeks a year in Lynch's
native New Jersey.
The knock on Clijsters, a former No. 1 in singles and doubles, before her
retirement was that her fundamental congeniality worked against her on the
tennis court. Unlike countrywoman Henin — who won with icy efficiency — she
lacked killer instinct. Four career Slams later that notion is bunk, even if
the preternaturally sunny Clijsters remains popular in the locker room.
"She's a special person," Serena Williams says. "And she's a good person.
It's hard to come across people like her."
A sturdy 5-8½, Clijsters is strong and swift. Young players still marvel at
her athleticism.
"She can still do the splits and everything," says 20-year-old American
Melanie Oudin. "I can't even do that, and I haven't had a baby! It's pretty
impressive."
Indeed, in some ways Clijsters 2.0 surpassed her first career. Since
returning, she's won three majors, regained the top ranking and became the
international poster child for working mothers.
She also learned to better integrate wins and losses with her overall
experience.
"The great thing about getting older I guess is that you're able to connect
things more to how you feel personally," she said. "It's not just a great
match. There's a lot of personal things attached to it as well."
Like in 2009, when her then-18-month-old daughter, Jada, adoringly pointed at
herself on Arthur Ashe Stadium's Jumbotron during the trophy ceremony.
Or when she hears Barry White.
Yes, that Barry White, the soulful, romantic crooner with the deep bass voice.
As Clijsters tells it, she was nervously riding in a van on her way to the
biggest match of her comeback three years ago — a semifinal clash with
Serena Williams at the U.S. Open.
In those situations, she often would call her father, Leo. But Leo had died
from cancer in 2009 at age 52. Then a Barry White tune came on. It happened
to be one of the songs her father had picked for his cremation.
"It was like a very special moment, like — phew," she recalled. "It relaxed
me."
She went on to beat Serena and win the championship.
As she closes her career, Clijsters understands the comparisons to seven-time
major winner Henin, who also retired and came back before quitting for good
in January 2011.
"It was pretty incredible to have two Belgians from each side, one from
north, one from south, both doing well," Clijsters said.
Clijsters, who was never close to French-speaking Henin, says she feels more
linked with the Williams sisters, though Henin beat her in all three of their
Grand Slam finals.
"They made us work harder and go to the gym, try to be stronger and be more
accurate, return better, serve better," she said.
Despite more than two years away from the game, the injury problems that
partially drove her out of the sport have not abated. She has missed four of
12 majors since coming back.
In 2012, she suffered hip, ankle and abdominal injuries, missing Roland
Garros and entering just six events. Two were on her must-do list —
Wimbledon and the Olympics — but she failed to advance past the
quarterfinals.
In fact, she's failed to reach a final this year and hasn't won a title since
the 2011 Australian Open 19 months ago.
Clijsters says she is the tennis player she's always wanted to be and remains
motivated.
"Just physically at some point your body is not really up to putting in the
time and the physical work," she said.
But the player who stormed to the 2009 U.S. Open trophy in only her third
tournament back does not carry lowered expectations into her swan song event.
In fact, she is playing doubles and mixed doubles besides singles.
"I believe that if I play my best tennis I'm capable of beating some of the
good players," said Clijsters, citing her three-set semifinal defeat to
eventual Australian Open winner and No. 1 Victoria Azarenka. "It's a matter
of details here and there. It doesn't mean I'm doubting myself or don't
believe I can't do it anymore if I'm not making finals all the time. Not at
all."
Post-retirement, Clijsters hopes to expand her family, perhaps one day
through adoption, and help run a tennis academy in Belgium.
"I'm just going to get the routine life back at home," she said.
There is relief, too, that she can abandon the compartmentalized life she's
had to lead as mother and professional.
"What I won't miss now is cutting myself into different pieces," she said. "I
had to choose. Do I want to get better in tennis, or take time with Jada and
the family?"
As the No. 23 seed, Clijsters faces a tough road.
But after missing last year's U.S. Open due to an abdominal injury, she heads
into the last event of her career with a 21-match streak at Flushing Meadows.
As she looks ahead at the women's game, Clijsters said she's been surprised
that none of the under-23 stars such as 2012 Australian Open winner Azarenka,
2011 Wimbledon titlist Petra Kvitova and two-time year-end No. 1 Caroline
Wozniacki have stepped up and taken control of the sport.
She also has the feeling that the level has slipped in the past few years.
"I think the generation that I was a part of or that Venus and Serena
created, was high-end tennis," she said. "Physically we were all strong, we
moved well and defended well. We were able to draw strength out of each
other. … I think the younger generation is a generation of less risk taking
— more consistent but not as impressive to watch as with Serena or Justine."
Clijsters insists she put everything into her career and comeback and has no
regrets or intention to return.
"I think for me the most important thing is I've always followed my heart,"
Clijsters says. "I've always done what I felt was right. I've always stayed
true to who I am."
If Barry White floats over the airwaves, it might be one more memory in the
making.
http://0rz.tw/HzBpl (本文出處)
http://0rz.tw/Rs5jd (同場附贈衛冕冠軍Sam訪問)
似乎單打雙打混雙都要打(這樣會很累耶)
不過單打還是要好好打阿
籤很硬 但生涯最後一戰請加油!!!
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※ 編輯: huohuo 來自: 58.115.138.41 (08/26 02:24)
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