(Sports Network) - Kim Clijsters completed her improbable run to the title, as she became the first-ever unseeded woman to win the U.S. Open with a straight set victory over ninth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki.

Clijsters, a wildcard entry into this tournament, took more than two years off to start a family, and after having a daughter she decided to return to professional tennis this summer. The U.S. Open was her first Grand Slam since the 2007 Australian Open, and she captured her second title here by defeating Wozniacki 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 33 minutes.

It was just Clijsters' third tournament overall since beginning her comeback.

"I can't believe this happened," Clijsters said. "Because it still seems so surreal that, yeah, in my third tournament back I won my second Grand Slam."

For the 15th straight time, the women's final of the U.S. Open ended in two sets. Clijsters captured her 14th straight win at this tournament, as she won it the last time she participated -- 2005.

"I just wanted to come here and get a feel for it all over again, play a Grand Slam so the start to the next year I didn't have to go through all the new experiences over," Clijsters said.

Wozniacki, the first Danish man or woman to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open Era, gave a valiant effort; she had never reached as far as the quarterfinal of a major tournament before her amazing run.

"Actually, I wasn't too nervous," Wozniacki said. "I mean, you're always excited when you're going out to a match. But, you know, I just thought, I'm playing a Grand Slam final. I have nothing to lose. I just need to go out there and try to do my best, and that's what I did."

The first set went back-and-forth, as the women produced seven breaks of serve in 12 games.

Clijsters struck first, forcing a Wozniacki backhand error to break for the first of five times to take a 2-0 lead. Wozniacki came right back, forcing five break points in the third game before finally coming through with a swinging backhand volley to get back on serve with one of her three breaks. After holding, Wozniacki posted another break of serve to take a 3-2 lead.

The two consecutive breaks did not deter Clijsters, however, as she squared the match when Wozniacki committed one of her two double faults in the opening set. Clijsters seemed to be in control with a 40-0 lead in the next game, but Wozniacki battled back to win the next three points. In the second deuce, Wozniacki forced another break point, and she forced a Clijsters error at the net to give herself a chance to serve out the set at 5-4.

But it was not to be. The first-time Grand Slam finalist could not put away the Belgian who had been there five times before, as a forehand error by Wozniacki made it 5-5. The Dane stole the first two points on Clijsters serve in the next game, but Clijsters battled back to save two break points and hold for 6-5.

Nerves got to Wozniacki in the next game, as she lost four consecutive points. Clijsters claimed the first set on a strong forehand winner -- one of her 36 in the match -- to end it, 7-5.

"The thing was I couldn't keep my serve in the end of the first set, and that just caused me trouble," Wozniacki said. "She was right there. She started serving well, and, yeah, that's why I lost the first set."

The second set was not nearly as close. Neither woman had a break point until the sixth game, as Clijsters broke at love by forcing a backhand error to take a 4-2 lead. She held the next two games, finally claiming the title on a sure- handed overhead smash.

"(Wozniacki didn't give me easy points) today. I think I really had to be patient, as well, but also try not to play along with her game," Clijsters said. "So I didn't have that feeling until, you know, when I had match point. I was like, 'Okay, maybe I can do this.'"

The classy Belgian dropped to her knees in astonishment, and she failed to hold back tears when reality finally set in moments later.

Clijsters becomes only the third unseeded woman ever to win a Grand Slam event and the first since Serena Williams claimed the 2007 Australian Open title. She improved to 2-4 in Grand Slam finals, and she has advanced to at least the semifinals in six straight major tournaments in which she has participated.

It was also the first time a mother won a Grand Slam tournament since Evonne Goolagong Cawley captured the 1980 Wimbledon title. Clijsters also became the only woman to defeat both Serena and Venus Williams in the same tournament twice. Only five other players have accomplished the feat once.

Wozniacki was looking for her WTA Tour-leading 63rd victory this year, but the 19-year-old will have to wait for her first Grand Slam title. She was coming off a title in New Haven, a tune-up for this tournament.











































































































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