PARIS, France - Kim Clijsters didn't come to Paris just to take back the No.1
ranking, she came to win the Open GDF SUEZ. The Belgian, whose quarterfinal
win over Jelena Dokic Friday secured her a return to No.1 come Monday,
survived Kaia Kanepi Saturday, 61 75, to reach the final of the Premier event.
Clijsters, the No.1 seed, cruised through the first set and was in all sorts
of trouble in the second set, falling behind two breaks and 1-4, even facing
set point at 4-5; but she closed Kanepi out, winning six of the last seven
games.
"I just tried to keep her moving, as I think that's her weakness," Clijsters
said. "In the second set, she started getting into her rhythm and I wasn't
serving as well. She was also being aggressive and trying to keep the points
shorter."
Awaiting Clijsters in the final will be No.3 seed Petra Kvitova, who
rebounded after a pair of marathons in her last two rounds and cruised past
the unseeded Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 62 60. From 3-2, Kvitova won nine
straight games.
"I felt very comfortable. I'm happy it was a shorter game today," Kvitova
said. "I look forward to the final. Kim is the best player right now and I
have nothing to lose. I will try to play my best. I enjoy big matches and
finals on big courts."
This will be Kvitova's first career appearance in a Premier-level final.
Clijsters leads Kvitova in their head-to-head series, 2-0.
"Petra is one of the players I've seen improve in the last year," Clijsters
said. "Her consistency has improved - before, she'd be on for three or four
games."