Kim Clijsters after winning Sony Ericsson Miami Open

Determined, focused and relentless, Belgium’s top hard court player, Kim Clijsters, showed just how good the tennis mother of a tennis child can be. In Saturday’s championship match against vaunted American three-time champion, Venus Williams, Clijsters did not blink, falter or wait. The Belgian came out strong, carried play and fifty-eight minutes later emerged the 6-2, 6-1 winner in Miami.

Williams was vying for her third consecutive title this season and had reason to believe she was up to the task. On a streak of fifteen straight wins, Williams has stumbled for brief periods but has been able to rally behind the game’s best serve. She had lost just one set in Miami this year.

With a relatively easy dispatch of France’s Marion Bartoli in the semifinals, Venus appeared to have a slight edge over the tested  Kim Clijsters, who Christine Henin pushed to three sets Thursday night.

It was clear from the outset that Clijsters was unbothered. Williams, on the other hand, appeared to labor with rallies. In the longer the points, Kim assumed a decided edge and rode it break after break.

Clijsters credited her exciting semifinal win over Justine Henin with providing a distinct competitive mindset. At one point in the match, the Belgian’s consistency led to a run of 17 straight points. Unheard of against a Williams!

After wins at Acapulco and Dubai, and a rest during Indian Wells, Venus had her usual big crowd support and anticipation. At the outset, the American could not chase down Clijsters’s stinging returns and cross-court ground strokes.

Unnerved by Kim’s ability to attack the serve, the American faltered, even struggling with her ball toss. In addition to losing serve 4 times, her ground support was lacking as she committed 30 unforced errors.

On this day, in Miami, Clijsters emerged the best player in the tournament, a position she rightfully earned. It was an important win for the Belgian and for women’s tennis, which is struggling to justify certain player rankings. Currently ranked number 16 on the tour, Clijsters will move up into the top ten this week. The 32nd seeded Henin will also be jumping up ten or more spaces on the ladder.

For Clijsters, the championship marks her second Son Ericsson Miami Open title. Often called the fifth major, Miami is a sold backup for Kim’s 2009 U.S. Open trophy and brings her 2010 championship total to two. She has now won 37 tour titles and moved into a tie for fourth place in career hard court titles with 28.

What was especially impressive about Clijsters was her confidence. The Belgian was not intimidated by the hometown crowd and the pomp. As she did in New York, she viewed her opponent and went to work with a solid attack, attack and more attack strategy. Some of her younger opponents may want to note the plan.

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