Excuse the fangirlly moment...

[luxken27]

...but sweetness just happened in my favorite sport:

KIM CLIJSTERS, 2009 US OPEN CHAMPION

Maybe you heard the brouhaha over the end of her semifinal match (when Serena Williams was granted a point penalty on match point because of unsportsmanlike conduct, thus losing the match in quite possibly the most bizarre, dramatic way ever), but this is a huge story, in and of itself.

Kim Clijsters retired from professional tennis two years ago, sick of the grind of the tour, ready to start her family and move beyond the ups and downs of her career. She decided to come back to the women's tour this year, having a trial run in the summer to see how she stacked up against the rest of the girls...and she walks away a Slam champion, the first mother to win a Slam since 1980. She walked into the tournament unseeded (unranked, even), needing a wildcard to even qualify for the draw, and she leaves $1.6m richer, and with a spot in the Top 20.

Just - amazing. Congats, Kimeke, and welcome back!!

Comments

[knittingknots.livejournal.com]

Don't follow tennis much any more, but I join you in the amazement. That IS a remarkable story.

[piratequeen0405.livejournal.com]

Yay Momma Power! I don't follow tennis religiously by any means, but this is a wonderful story :D

[ladycash.livejournal.com]

Not a tennis follower, but this
is superawesomecoolness!

Kudos and much luck to her, I
am impressed.

[landofthekwt.livejournal.com]

Your post made me wonder what had happened to Lindsey Davenport whom I always used to root for. According to Wiki she had her second child in June and will be back in September.

I wonder if we still don't treat men and women differently. People used to live for blowups like this from McEnroe. (Though Arthur Ashe was mortified when both Jimmy Connors and McEnroe were disqualified from the same Davis Cup for this type of behavior.)

I guess I never even paid attention to Clijsters. Yay for her. A great story and a cute kid.

[pos-sess-ed.livejournal.com]

I was happy to see her win, but I really didn't like the way it happened. I am happy Serena sincerely apologized publicly and acknowledged her behavior was out-of-line on every level.

LOL... Because my mind works this way... will they now report/make a big deal out of how many professional tennis fathers make it back to the court and win after having a baby? I can't see most guys missing an opportunity for any kind of recognition. (Bad brain... bad!)