Clijsters to meet Mauresmo for Antwerp WTA title
BRUSSELS: Kim Clijsters will play against France’s Amelie Mauresmo on Sunday for the title of the 600,000-U.S. dollar Antwerp WTA tournament.
Second seed Clijsters, who will quit the sport at the end of 2007, made the final thanks to a comfortable 6-4, 6-3 win over France’s Tatiana Golovin on Saturday.
Top seeded Mauresmo, who will take home a diamond-encrusted tennis racquet if she wins a third title, moved into the final following a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Russian Anna Chakvetadze.
Mauresmo, who defeated Clijsters in the tournament last year in the final, admitted her form was not as impressive as her straight-sets demolition of Russia’s Dinara Safina in Friday’s quarter-finals.
“I didn’t play as well as yesterday,” Mauresmo said.
“I really had problems finding my rhythm. I did not play very well but I still managed to win which is important. I have a few things to work on before the final.”
The final has particular significance for the French player, the champion in 2005 and 2006, who would win the gold racquet promised to any player who wins the title three times.
The racquet is made of five kilos of gold, 1,900 diamonds totalling 240 carats.
“I would be lying if I said it was not a dream prize,” Mauresmo said.
Source: Xinhua