Mauresmo beats Clijsters in final

French Amelie Mauresmo celebrates as she won the final against Kim Clijsters at the Antwerp Proximus Diamond Games WTA tennis tournament, 18 February 2007. Amelie Mauresmo won 6-4, 7-6 and the racket of 1700 diamonds, of a weight of 17 kg and wich values 1 million euro, as she won the tournement for the third time in 3 years.

Top seed Amelie Mauresmo spoiled Kim Clijsters' last appearance on home soil with a straight-sets win in the Diamond Games final in Antwerp.

Mauresmo won 6-4 7-6 (7-4) to become the first player to win a hat-trick of Antwerp titles, and for that feat also won a diamond-studded racquet trophy.

"I said all week I didn't think about it, but honestly I thought about it the whole week," said Mauresmo.

Clijsters was playing her last match in Belgium before retiring later in 2007.

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"There is no better champion than you," Clijsters said of Mauresmo. "I admire you in so many ways."

Despite the warm words from Clijsters, the 15,000 sell-out crowd made their feelings known throughout the match, notably when Mauresmo won the penultimate point in the tie-break.

"It's a bit difficult for me now because I know you are all very disappointed," Mauresmo told the crowd.

"I am sorry. I understand, Kim is a great champion."

Clijsters was always struggling in a match littered with errors, and the 23-year-old Belgian lost her opening service game before breaking back in the fourth game.

Belgium's Kim Clijsters wipes a tear as she lost against France's Amelie Mauresmo at the final of the Diamond games in Antwerp, Belgium, Sunday Feb. 18, 2007. Kim Clijsters bid a tearful farewell to her Belgian fans Sunday after losing at her last tournament on home turf before retiring later this season.

But her serve soon let her down again as Mauresmo took the first set, before both players broke serve twice in the second.

Clijsters fought back from two break points down in the tie-break to level at 4-4 before Mauresmo won three points in a row.

"Enjoy the beautiful racquet, you deserve it and I am sure it will find a nice place in your house," said Clijsters.

"You always play well here and you are a terrific player."
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Clijsters & Mauresmo reach final

Belgium's Kim Clijsters returns the ball during the semi-finals of the Proximus Diamond Games against France's Tatiana Golovin at the Sportpalace in Antwerp, Belgium, Saturday Feb. 17, 2007. Klijsters won the match 6-4, 6-3.

Kim Clijsters ensured that her last match on Belgian soil will be a tough encounter when she set up a Diamond Games final against Amelie Mauresmo.

French top seed Amelie Mauresmo battled to a 6-3 3-6 6-2 win over Russia's Anna Chakvetadze in the first of Saturday's semi-finals in Antwerp.

And Clijsters, 23, then gave her home crowd what they wanted by defeating France's Tatiana Golovin 6-4 6-3.

Clijsters is playing her final Belgian event before retiring later in 2007.

"Tomorrow will be a very emotional day and I am just glad that I am still here to enjoy it and am in the final," said Clijsters.

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World number three Mauresmo is looking to find some form after a slow start to the year.

She broke Chakvetadze's serve in game seven on her way to securing the first set but the 19-year-old Russian fought back to take the second set after an early break.

Mauresmo then moved up a gear in the decider to claim her second win over Chakvetadze in a week, following their quarter-final in Paris last week.

But there were worrying signs for the Wimbledon champion, who seemed to be carrying a leg injury in the final set.

"I didn't return well, I had too many ups and downs," said Mauresmo. "I was really going forward to take control of the match."

She had an extra incentive to reach the final, however, as she can claim a diamond-studded racquet awarded for three title wins in five years having also won in 2005 and 2006.

The racquet is made of five kilos of gold, with 1,900 diamonds totalling 240 carats.

"I would be lying if I said it was not a dream prize," said Mauresmo. "Every match I win, it is starting to be a little bit more on my mind, but the final will be the toughest one to win."

Clijsters said: "It will be a very special match.

"Amelie is playing for the fabulous racquet and, as far as I'm concerned, I just want to thank all of my fans by giving them one last success in Belgium."

"I just want to thank all of my fans by giving them one last success in Belgium, said Kim"
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