Oct. 28: Kim Clijsters made a flawed but satisfactory start to her bid to win back the WTA Championships title she last won seven years ago, delivering a straight sets win over Jelena Jankovic.
Even though Clijsters had not competed since retaining her US Open title six weeks ago in New York, she moved well and competed fairly confidently in a 6-2, 6-3 success against the former world number one from Serbia.
There were few obvious signs of discomfort from the foot which still has a small wound from the operation last month to remove a mole, though Clijsters’ tally of double faults did creep to a surprisingly high total of 10.
But she hit the ball well from the forehand side and struck 25 winners altogether, and on the big points she played well.
“It was my first match back, and I was happy — not with everything but I’ll take that, and take the positive things into the next match,” a content Clijsters said. “I need to be a little more consistent and deliver fewer double faults, but I will try to be better tomorrow,” she added.
Clijsters started very well, breaking serve at once, and then produced a brilliant running cross court backhand passing shot to make a double break at 5-2.
But in the second set she had to fight harder, needing to save two break back points at 3-2 as Jankovic increased the frequency and potency of her attacks.
That though was not typical of the Serbian’s athletic style, but the result of contingency. The night before Jankovic nearly retired through illness, and even now it was clear that after her sinus infection of last week the former number one was below her best.