Salvador Kimmy

Since April 2008, when Justine Henin retired from the sport, women's tennis has uniformly sucked. In only her third tournament since returning in August from a two and a half year hiatus, Kim Clijsters matched Henin's 2007 two-thirds of a hat trick by beating both Williams sisters en route to the final--they are the only two players to do so--and, more importantly, both exposed the cosmic terribleness of the WTA and, by proving what talent can accomplish when its joins with discipline and desire, paradoxically redeemed women's tennis in the process. Since Henin's retirement, which created a destabilizing power vacuum in the women's rankings, five different players have undeservedly held the top spot, two never having won a Major. For months, they caught and dropped the number one ranking, simultaneously proud and embarrassed to inherit the prestigious, and unearned, honor. All the while in Henin's absence the WTA has suffered from a sort of empty box syndrome. Its exterior appears definite, its build sturdy, but under the slightest pressure it collapses. This Major was the seventh, post-Henin. Seven tedious sham-Slams. Five Williams wins and two who-the-hell-cares? All was in a bad state indeed.

Then, after two years and four months, one new baby, no sleep, and lots of weight, Kim Clijsters entered on a wildcard, dominated the field, and, improbably, magically, elatedly won her second U.S. Open. Her first, of course, came in 2005, her last appearance in New York, making this win a technical defense of that title and, better still, a gain in her winning streak at the USO, unbroken over four years.

I'm so glad she's back. Fucking impossible, what she just did. All my heart and soul behind Del Potro tomorrow, who actually has the talent--we'll see if he has the nerve--to pull off the upset of the year, but, seriously, Kim Clijsters just saved this year's Open from being a rained-out, draw-fucked disappointment and a joke. Belgium, you're back!