Unseeded Clijsters takes uncharted path to Open title

The joy of motherhood. The joy of winning the US Open.

Clijsters made history last night, capping a comeback from two years out of tennis to become the first unseeded woman to win the Open - and the first mom to win a major in 29 years - with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Caroline Wozniacki.

When it was over, Clijsters collapsed and started crying - tears of joy, probably mixed in with a little bit of shock, too. Her 18-month-old daughter, Jada, watched from a suite with a pacifier in her mouth, but later came down to the court to take part in the celebration.

“It was not really our plan,’’ Clijsters said. “I just wanted to start these three tournaments and get back into the rhythm of playing tennis and get used to the surroundings again.’’

In this case, the surroundings consisted of an adoring Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd of 23,351 who watched as Clijsters, in 1 hour 33 minutes, became the first tennis mother to win a Grand Slam since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won Wimbledon in 1980.

It was all quite a different scene from the night be fore, when Clijsters’s win over Serena Williams was decided on a point penalty, and the 26-year-old Belgian stood behind the baseline, looking bewildered as Williams ran to shake her hand.

Williams’s tirade may have been the talk of the tournament, but Clijsters was its winner. This was her second US Open title, the last coming in 2005 - her last appearance at Flushing Meadows, before a spate of nagging injuries drove her away from the sport and led her to start a family.

Some might want to call this the mother of all upsets, but Clijsters was ranked No. 1 in the world in 2003. By the time she reached last night’s final, against the resilient but still-learning 19-year-old from Denmark, it was hard to view it that way. Clijsters beat both Williams sisters and two other players seeded in the teens. She matched Venus and Serena power shot for power shot and showed she could play Wozniacki’s patient game - and play it better.

This match was nothing like the Williams match - before it turned sour - which was filled with short, hard-hitting rallies in which Clijsters moved one of tennis’s best players at will and made her hit shots from places she normally doesn’t.

Instead, it was a waiting game, and when Clijsters fell behind, 4-2, in the first set, she showed she was willing to play it.

A 29-shot rally here, a 25-shot rally there. Drop shots and lobs. Clijsters did that. Went for more, too, and finished with two more winners than unforced errors (36-34) - a good ratio on any day - and 26 more winners than Wozniacki.

After getting back on serve, Clijsters held off two break points at 5-5, then broke Wozniacki for the fourth time to win the first set. The second set was easier and before they knew it, Jada was on the court posing for photographers.

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world being a mother,’’ she said. “I just can’t wait to spend the next few weeks with her and have her routine schedule at home again.’’

Clijsters’s last major title isn’t ancient history. It was only four years ago that she climbed into the stands and tightrope-walked across the railings to celebrate her first US Open title.

Same scene this time but with a few new players. There was her husband, former professional basketball player Brian Lynch, with whom she shared a long, sweet kiss. Then there was Jada, clapping her hands with that binky in her mouth.

“We tried to plan her nap time a little later today so she could be here,’’ Clijsters said.

Looks like she’s getting the hang of that motherhood thing, too.