NEW YORK - Fourth seed Kim Clijsters produced a thrilling recovery to beat Wimbledon champion Venus Williams 4-6 7-5 6-1 in a drama-filled quarterfinal at the US Open today.
In a match that finished well after midnight and contained 13 service breaks, the Belgian recovered from a 4-2 deficit in
the second set to advance to a semifinal against Russian top seed Maria Sharapova.
"I just tried to keep fighting and keep running for each ball," Clijsters said.
"I was making some unforced at some important times in the second set but luckily I served it out."
Clijsters, who missed most of 2004 because of wrist injuries, said it was one of the biggest wins of her career.
"After my surgery, I enjoy each and every win much more but this definitely means much more than any win before my surgery," she said.
Tenth seed Williams, who beat her sister Serena in the previous round, broke Clijsters' serve to win the first set and looked in total command when she raced to a 4-2 second-set lead.
But Clijsters, who has won six titles this year, suddenly found her form.
Showing some outstanding agility, including doing the splits at one stage, she roared back to level the match at one set apiece.
Williams began to look a little jaded in the third and the Belgian took advantage, breaking three times to clinch her place in the last four.
Clijsters has beaten Sharapova in each of their three previous meetings, but said she expected a tough match against the Russian.
"She is a very tough player and a very talented girl," she said.
"She has a really good fighting spirit. I'm just going to go for it, run after every shot and see where it takes me."
- REUTERS
