Mrs. Lynch Goes To The Semifinals

FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – New York City may own Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and the deed to Arthur Ashe Stadium is in the name of the USTA, but for the last two years, Kim Clijsters owns the US Open.

No greater proof of that came than tonight as the defending Women’s Champion and current No. 2 seed fought off bad play and tough conditions to beat No. 6 seed Sam Stosur, 6-4 5-7 6-3, in their Quarterfinal matchup to improve to 19-0 over the past two years.

And how did Mrs. Lynch win it?

“I think by mentally just staying focused out there,” she said.  “You know, I felt that I was really reading her serve well in the return games.  I really felt that I was just ‑‑ even, you know, those heavy kick serves I felt I was getting into her backhand well, and, yeah, just made her go for some errors.

“Obviously she, you know, wasn’t serving great, either.  I just really felt that, you know, if I could just get that return deep, I felt that I was, you know, kind of in charge of a lot of rallies.”

It got so bad that Clijsters and Stocur could not hold serve on the first seven games of the third set. Part of it reason was the wind, as both players could not have that hard first serve land where they wanted it.

And part was because both players didn’t have their strong games out there, as both admitted after the match.

“Yeah, it was definitely tough conditions, windiest conditions I’ve played in all week, and probably the worst I’ve served all week, as well,” said Stocur, who had her highest finish at the Open of her career.  “Put those two things together, and you don’t hold serve for the third set and you lose.”

“I still didn’t play a good match, but I was obviously able to win it,” Clijsters said.  “That’s obviously, at the end of the day, what we try to do out here, is try to win the matches whether you play good or bad.

“Like I said, even after the match, I was like, How did I win this?  I didn’t feel like I was playing well.  Sam is a good player, you know, so I was just kind of ‑‑ yeah, talking to my coach and fitness coach and just, Wow, what just happened?  How did I win?”

Well it was just sheer guts and guile on Clijsters behalf. She was able to utilize her speed and eventually held serve in Game 8 of the third set. When that happened, it was all over. In fact, she then broke the Australian in the final game with the winner coming on an ace.

“Yeah, that’s probably all the frustration that comes out at the end,” Clijsters said.  “I’m like, I don’t like to hit one more rally.  I just want to finish it with a good shot.  Um, I don’t know.  It’s the rhythm.  It’s been frustrating.”

Clijsters now faces Venus Williams in the Semifinals on Friday. This will be a rubber match of their career head-to-head with both players winning six apiece. But Clijsters has won the last four matches, including the Round of 16 at last year’s US Open, 6-0 0-6 6-4.

But Mrs. Lynch is not taking anything for granted.

“I think obviously the way that she’s been playing and the way that she has mentally looked,” Clijsters said. “I think it’s maybe been even been good for her to have been away for that long, because she looks more hungry than ever.”

FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – New York City may own Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and the deed to Arthur Ashe Stadium is in the name of the USTA, but for the last two years, Kim Clijsters owns the US Open.

No greater proof of that came than tonight as the defending Women’s Champion and current No. 2 seed fought off bad play and tough conditions to beat No. 6 seed Sam Stosur, 6-4 5-7 6-3, in their Quarterfinal matchup to improve to 19-0 over the past two years.

And how did Mrs. Lynch win it?

“I think by mentally just staying focused out there,” she said.  “You know, I felt that I was really reading her serve well in the return games.  I really felt that I was just ‑‑ even, you know, those heavy kick serves I felt I was getting into her backhand well, and, yeah, just made her go for some errors.

“Obviously she, you know, wasn’t serving great, either.  I just really felt that, you know, if I could just get that return deep, I felt that I was, you know, kind of in charge of a lot of rallies.”

It got so bad that Clijsters and Stocur could not hold serve on the first seven games of the third set. Part of it reason was the wind, as both players could not have that hard first serve land where they wanted it.

And part was because both players didn’t have their strong games out there, as both admitted after the match.

“Yeah, it was definitely tough conditions, windiest conditions I’ve played in all week, and probably the worst I’ve served all week, as well,” said Stocur, who had her highest finish at the Open of her career.  “Put those two things together, and you don’t hold serve for the third set and you lose.”

“I still didn’t play a good match, but I was obviously able to win it,” Clijsters said.  “That’s obviously, at the end of the day, what we try to do out here, is try to win the matches whether you play good or bad.

“Like I said, even after the match, I was like, How did I win this?  I didn’t feel like I was playing well.  Sam is a good player, you know, so I was just kind of ‑‑ yeah, talking to my coach and fitness coach and just, Wow, what just happened?  How did I win?”

Well it was just sheer guts and guile on Clijsters behalf. She was able to utilize her speed and eventually held serve in Game 8 of the third set. When that happened, it was all over. In fact, she then broke the Australian in the final game with the winner coming on an ace.

“Yeah, that’s probably all the frustration that comes out at the end,” Clijsters said.  “I’m like, I don’t like to hit one more rally.  I just want to finish it with a good shot.  Um, I don’t know.  It’s the rhythm.  It’s been frustrating.”

Clijsters now faces Venus Williams in the Semifinals on Friday. This will be a rubber match of their career head-to-head with both players winning six apiece. But Clijsters has won the last four matches, including the Round of 16 at last year’s US Open, 6-0 0-6 6-4.

But Mrs. Lynch is not taking anything for granted.

“I think obviously the way that she’s been playing and the way that she has mentally looked,” Clijsters said. “I think it’s maybe been even been good for her to have been away for that long, because she looks more hungry than ever.”