Kim Clijsters is reaching for her first Grand Slam thrill on the up-slope of a
rollercoaster year of injuries but admits, a few days before Wimbledon, "I felt
my game was nowhere just a month ago."
She goes to the All England club for a first round meeting with Britain's
Katie O'Brien on Tuesday after collecting her 24th title with a whirlwind 7-5
6-0 victory in the final of the Hastings Direct Championship at Eastbourne
against Russian qualifier Vera Douchevina.
And Clijsters refuses to get carried away in the most open Wimbledon for
years, despite a 59-minute destruction of the 18-year-old Russian qualifier, who
had knocked out top-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo.
"Maybe it is better now than I thought it would be at the start of the
week," said the Belgian. "When I first came to Eastbourne I just decided to
work hard and have fun.
"I came to adjust to the grass and in the final I tried even more coming into
the net a bit and putting in a little slice.
"I've also been volleying well and it feels good. It isn't easy but after my
experience on clay in Paris I was looking forward to it and I'm pleased with how
it has gone."
Clijsters, the 22-year-old former world number one and four times a Grand Slam
final loser, had a spectacular 2003 when she reached two finals in France and
New York and two semi-finals in Melbourne and Wimbledon.
But after finishing runner-up in the next Australian Open she spent the rest
2004 out of major contention.
She could not start the following year until February because of a wrist
injury which cast a shadow over her career.
Ten months after an operation she is still short of full wrist movement and
has picked up other less serious problems as well, in the shape of knee and
ankle knocks.
Yet she rose from a world ranking of 85 to 17 after becoming the first
qualifier to win back-to-back Women's Tennis Association titles in America in
March and April - only for her knee to play up again in Germany a month later.
It meant she had to go virtually unprepared for her first Grand Slam event
event for 18 months at Roland Garros but still looked to be cruising into the
quarter-finals on the back of a 6-1 3-1 lead over Lindsay Davenport - only for
the American world number one to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
"That defeat motivated me," said Clijsters. "I wanted to get to Eastbourne
and make my debut as quickly as possible because people told me how relaxing it
was.
"It was tough at first but I've got better on the grass. It seems a long time
since I last played on grass two years ago in the semi-final against Serena
(Williams) at Wimbledon.
"If I could choose that's the title I would want now. Anyone would do,
actually, but I don't know if my game is good enough yet. We'll see over the
next few weeks."
Those packing the stands at Eastbourne's Devonshire Park would believe that
she has a shot at SW19 but on the evidence of the first set, the gallant
Douchevina might cause some waves as well.
She was Wimbledon junior champion three years ago, beating Maria Sharapova en
route, and this was her first senior final.
She had to play seven matches to get there, shocking Mauresmo in straight sets
in the second round and may now move closer to the top 40 from 54 when new
rankings are announced tomorrow.
She matched Clijsters shot for shot in a red-hot first set, twice capturing
her opponent's first serve only for Clijsters to break straight back both
times.
The turning point was probably a storming service game by the Belgian, winning
it to love - immediately after Douchevina had done the same thing.
And after a third break to clinch the first set the young Russian melted away
in a second which lasted just 16 minutes, with Clijsters dropping just six
points.
Famed doubles pair Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs won another title in
Eastbourne today, beating the Russian partnership of Elena Likhovtseva and Vera
Zvonereva 6-3 7-5.
For Raymond it was a 45th career doubles crown, while Stubbs celebrated her
49th title.
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